Soft Hair and Velvet Tongues
by RattWitch
Summary: The bond of the bloodline and family secrets! Can Draco and Hermione survive the war between Muggles and Purebloods! (Rated: R for sex) COMPLETE!
1. Seperation of Youth

Chapter One:  
  
Gazing up at the high towers of Hogwarts, Harry, Hermoine, and Ron were all transfixed on what was happening. A tear of regret slid down the bushy- haired girls face. As they all knew when they were admitted to Hogwarts, in seven years it would be over and they would be full-fledged witches and wizards. As exciting as it seemed in the beginning, also meant a feeling of loss for everything that had made them what they were now, standing in front of the most formidable wizard school, all grown up and filled with more knowledge then most of their graduating class. They had covered many obstacles and succeeded in maturity and bravery, but the real tests were just beginning.  
  
"Ah, my now grown-up students" muttered a soft voice from behind them, "this is not goodbye after all. You are welcome back here whenever you like." Headmaster Dumbledore placed a gentle, yet gnarled old hand on Harry's shoulder and another one on Hermoines, pulling all three of them into his arms. Hermoine let loose a fit of hysterical sobs and Harry's eyes glazed over with tears, but Ron just seemed to hold his posture yet was clinging to Dumbledore tighter every second that passed, as if letting him go meant it was all over. "You three have done more for Hogwarts then even I, and this old place will always remember all of you, even when the stories become legend and people only believe Harry Potter, Hermoine Granger, and Ron Weasley were characters made to put their children to bed at night...Hogwarts will remember you for what you truly are... heroes." With one final embrace he stepped back and bowed gracefully, opening the large wooden gated doors and dissapearing into the school.  
  
"W-w-well, then," sniffed Hermoine, fisting away the tears from her face. "S-shall we g-g-go..." She began sobbing again.  
  
"Oh, Hermoine, it's ok. I mean, we still have each other," consoled Ron, leading her down the path that leads to the Hogwarts train. "Well I have to return to the Burrow and Harry has to go back to Privet Drive for a week, to close things up there. You, of coarse, get to go to Holly Horris Witch & Wizard ski and beach resort a week early!" Ron encouraged with a weak smile.  
  
"I-I know but a vacation isn't going to be like the Hogwarts library." Harry groaned with a kind smirk on his face. "Hermoine," Harry explained, "when I get settled into the Burrow with Ron for good, and we get to Holly Horris's, you won't even be worried about studying! We'll be having too much fun!"  
  
"Yes," she said, brightening up. "It was so sweet of you to take Ron and me on this trip, Harry."  
  
"We were in desperate need of a vacation."  
Ron nodded. "Right you are."  
  
Ch. 1  
  
"Hermoine dear, are you sure you want to use so much of your money on an extra week at a resort? What about a home of your own, and possessions of your own? You always said you wanted more of a life then living with us."  
  
"Yes mother I know," Hermoine said, quickly re-folding the clothes her mother had neatly folded for her before, "but I just want to spend some time to myself and I don't want to have to buy a house or rent an apartment just yet." "Oh dear," sighed her mother, rubbing her hands together nervously. "I suppose you're of age now but...oh dear." She turned on a heel and shuffled out of her room and into the den, muttering to herself.  
  
When Hermoine finally had filled three large luggage bags full of "necessities" and had loaded them into the Wizards taxi (with the help of father Granger, mother Granger, and the small yet somehow mildly strong taxi driver), she hopped into the taxi, waving at her mother and father until the taxi became invisible and took flight into the blue skies.  
  
"How long does this trip take?" asked Hermoine, a tinge of annoyance in her voice. Beads of sweat began to pop up on her nose and forehead. The air condition must be out, or this guy is just cheap, she thought to herself.  
  
"Aiya, juss no more 'en thirty-minute O'd say. Why don't cha juss take a nice 'ittle view of thee ground down 'ere. We're passin' o're Mt. Fuji, we are."  
  
She looked down excitedly and gaped and the mountains that looked like large pillars jutting up from the clouds. "Beautiful, but why is it so hot in here."  
  
"I go o're this place lot. Got me good 'ole car trained to change tempetures to keep me comfy."  
  
Hermoine shook her head but couldn't help laughing. There's always something new in the wizarding world. Even thought she was still depressed about Hogwarts, she had to admit it wasn't so bad thus far. She was still managing to smile without her two best friends by her side and it gave her an odd sort of comfort. She had met them on the train their first year, and, although not at first, became the closest and most reliable trio she could ever ask for. They had had their ups and downs, especially her and Ron. In their 6th year they had dated for a little while but their personalities clashed one too many times and Hermoine found herself wishing that they could just be normal friends. She wanted someone she couldn't understand, and had mystery shrouded about them. She wanted a good challenge. She knew everything there was to know about Ron, and he wasn't exactly a challenge. He was always eager to kiss Hermoine any chance he got, and would even pout around when she was reading and not paying full attention to him. "But I'm not going on this trip to find romance. I'm going to relax," whispered Hermoine to herself.  
  
Please tell me what you think! This is my first FF and every review would help SO much! - RatWitch, vera_verto@hotmail.com 


	2. Arriving

CHAPTER TWO  
  
Eventually the car cooled down and the rest of the trip was so comfortable Hermoine nearly fell asleep but was jeered out of her drifting by being jerked forward and thumping her head on the cushioned seat in front of her.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that, miss. Crazy driven' 'round this time 'o the yeer."  
  
She sat up and couldn't believe how many vacationers had taken Wizard Taxies and flying coaches. Everyone knew that Holly Horris's Ski and Beach resort was popular but she didn't know how popular until now. The ad read: "Tired of being in the hot climate and wishing for a little snow? Tired of freezing your robes off and wish for some beaming, hot sunshine? Get the best of both worlds at Holly Horris's Ski and Beach Resort! We have the finest guarding spells on Holly Horris's so there's no worry about Muggle interferences! Come in and have more then one vacation in only one place!" To any regular pair of eyes, Holly Horris's was just a semi-large deserted island with a few palm trees and some sand crabs. Hermoine scowled but as she knew in the wizarding world, nothing is as it seemed. She stepped out of the taxi and had the cabbie help her lug her trunks onto the dolly he had provided.  
  
"Thank you." She handed him his fare. He tipped his hat at her as she followed the crowd of oncoming witches and wizards. She was looking around everywhere wondering how a huge resort such as this could be on such an inadequate island but before she could figure it out she ran into the tall wizard in front of her. They both became entangled with each other and their luggage  
  
"Oh my gosh! Oh! I'm so sorry," Hermoine apologized. She gathered herself up and brushed the bushy hair from her face, revealing the man she tumbled into. Her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to burst out.  
  
He scowled. "Granger."  
  
She sighed. "Well, Malfoy, it's great to know my vacation is already ruined." She pulled the dolly and tried to pull her trunks back onto it with no avail. Draco had already pulled his few bags together and was laughing at her struggling attempts to gather her things.  
  
"Oh, Granger you look pathetic. Without Potter and Weasley to tend to your every whim, you're like a little lost puppy. I thought you were going to be here next week? I heard your little sugar-daddy potter paid for you and his boyfriend Weasel for a little three-some rendezvous. Oh, Granger," he laughed even harder, "your face is so red! Did I hit a weak spot?"  
  
Trying to regain her posture and giving up on even getting her bags on the dolly, she snarled, "I am here on my own accord, Malfoy, and alone I'll have you know! I paid my own way! I don't need my parents' money to get me places!"  
  
"Yes, after Lucius died I did receive a very considerable sum, on top of the large back account we already had. Perhaps that's why I quit Hogwarts after my 6th year." He seemed to have a moment of regret and lifted all three of Hermoine's bags onto the dolly. She stared at him as if seeing him for the first time. With all the problems Harry, Ron, and she had, having Malfoy out of the way for that last year was a breather but no one ever really questioned why he left. Seeing him now though, since a year and a half had passed since she'd seen him, he had changed a lot. His hair had grown out and was now a long silver mane down to his shoulder blades. He had a rattlesnake fang through his left earlobe and was nearly 6'3". His chest had built so much muscle and so had his arms and legs. Only his piercing blue eyes with the shards of ice cut into them had stayed the same.  
  
'Wait, since when did I notice his piercing blue eyes before?' thought Hermoine. She shook the desire to be nice to him, based on his matured appearance.  
  
"You left because you're a filthy Death Eater just like your father and everyone knew it after Lucius was killed by Aurors! When Voldemort fell out of power again in our 6th year so did you and all of you fools hid yourselves like the cowards you are! Thanks for nothing!" she spat, referring to the luggage that he helped her with. She quickly hurried off back into the traveling groups of people before Draco knocked her head off. His tanned face had gone completely white and his breathing intensified.  
  
"Oh my gosh," she whispered to herself. "I can't believe he's still such a jerk!" Hermoine would have thought on it a lot longer but when she noticed that the group of wizards who chatting about the life-span of a wickle blossom in conditions such as these, handed a concession boy their ticket and the boy waved his wand and the sea rose up and an escalator made of sand took the babbling wizards into the bottom of the sea. 'As long as I don't run into Malfoy for the rest of the week, I think this will be the greatest vacation.' She thought to herself as she handed the pimply concession boy her ticket. 


	3. Holly Horris's Ski and Beach Resort

Disclaimer: I don't own these charcters.blahblahblah It's all J.K.'s wonderful charcters.  
  
CHAPTER 3: Holly Horris's Ski and Beach Resort  
  
The corridor to the resort was dark, damp, and not even close to enjoyable. People in front of her were running their hands along the walls of sand that made up the long tunnel.  
  
"I wonder how far down we are," muttered some bored teen behind her, "or how bloody long this tunnel is."  
  
Hermoine smiled and nodded silently. Almost nearly after he said that the room became so bright Hermoine had to shield her eyes for a moment. After that moment though, when she gazed around, the sand had turned to ocean and everyone was watching the marine life swimming in schools and masses. "Momma!" cried a little girl to Hermoine's left. "Do you think there are muggle fish and magical fish?"  
  
After a few minutes of oohing and awing, the ground began to rumble and the water began rippling on both sides of them. Hermoine quickly reached out to grab onto something but her hands only cut through the watery walls. The little girl who had been so fascinated by the fish before was now bawling and wanted to go home.  
  
"THE WATER'S CAVING IN!!" Someone from the front yelled. The leaders of the group were now racing as fast as they could to the end of the line, but before Hermoine could even panic, she could taste the salt in her mouth and the water, as cold as the snow on Mt. Fuji all around her.  
  
She sat up quickly, clawing at the air and gasping for breath but was laying in a warm and dry queen size bed with a green and yellow flower embroidered comforter. The room smelled lightly of lilacs and there were pictures of open fields, the wind blowing the grass back and forth. All of her luggage had been placed on top of the empty dresser as an invitation to use it. Looking around again she noticed a woman standing in the corner smiling brightly.  
  
Hermoine jumped out of bed and pulled her wand out of her robes. "Who are you?" she growled, shaking her wand at the woman.  
  
" WELCOME TO HOLLY HORRIS'S SKI AND BEACH RESORT! I'm your personal room maid, Egoise." She curtseyed cutely and continued. "I'm here to serve you at anytime. Please take this two-way Discussion Stone so if there's any problem on your vacation I can clear it up right away!" She suddenly stopped before she handed Hermoine the Discussion Stone and noticed a wand was an inch from her nose now. "My dear! What on earth are you pointing that wand at me for! I'm your room maid!"  
  
"W-w-why did I ALMOST DROWN!" Hermoine stammered, needing an explanation. It all seemed like a dream.  
  
"Oh, gee, see Ms. Horris it much of a thrill seeker.yes, that's what she is, and well she just wants you to remember your trip as well as you can. It took many months to put up such an extraordinary illusion, as you can guess. She's even thinking of adding a theme park also.but I've tried to tell her.I don't think people would flock to an invisible roller coaster.no ma'am.I says.'Ms. Horris, people might think there won't be a whole track'.well don't you think?" She looked at Hermoine hopefully. "I, myself, wouldn't ride something I couldn't see! No.no.I wouldn't.feel.safe." Egoise fumbled her hands around, looking for something to pick up and keep busy. Hermoine thought it did sound a little untrustworthy but after riding the Thestrals their 5th year, feeling like she was flying on air only, she thought she might just come back if the rumors Egoise said were true.  
  
Feeling a little more comforted she put away her wand. "What time is it?"  
  
"It's breakfast time!" Egoise said eagerly. "Would you like me to relay to you today's events as scheduled by Holly Horris herself?"  
  
Seeing that Egoise was trying so hard at her job, Hermoine gave her the go ahead with a small nod.  
  
Egoise took a deep breath, puffed out her chest and began to recite what must have took all night long for her to memorize. "From 8AM-10:30PM is breakfast, but if you aren't hungry, the lounge is open and the famous Brutus Sendare is having a show, showing off his well trained Cave Trolls. Why, they can even count! He's done wonders with.Ahem yes and from 10:30- 12:00 on the beach side there's Wizards Chess tournament set up on the northern docks, and a Muggle Volleyball game on the beach. Ballroom dancing is set up on the southern dock. On the snowy side of the resort there's basic skiing and snowboarding lessons although most people just pull a charm on their skies so they don't fall over, another lesson which is taught in the course if you just can't get the hang of it and today there's a snowman contest. Why last year someone build one nearly 20 feet high without the use of wand! My I will tell you it took some team work." As Egoise chattered on and on about the schedule while Hermoine was sure had to be written down somewhere, her eyes drew to the man standing outside her room, looking at her through her open door, his blue eyes twinkling. The usual smirk that had always been his trademark hadn't changed as he mouthed the words 'mudblood' as clear as crystal. 


	4. MudBloods and Purebloods

Disclaimer: I don't own these charcters.blahblahblah It's all J.K.'s wonderful charcters.  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: Mudbloods and Purebloods  
  
The bushy haired beauty fumed with rage. He could hear her all the way down the corridor, trying to hush up her extremely cute room maid. Draco Malfoy jogged lightly down the hall to the elevators. "Main Hall," he said curtly. He could see Hermoine running at full speed to catch him before he made off but she was too late. He heard a loud THUMP against his elevator door, as if she had a battering ram. "Woman problems?" asked the elevator attendant.  
  
"She's anything but my problem." Draco muttered but he couldn't get the look out of his face before he had called her a mudblood. She looked as if she wanted him to come in, lie down on her bed and make himself at home but he wouldn't touch that dirty blooded filth. He just couldn't! Narcissa is still around and what would she think? Lucius would roll over in his grave. Why was he so worried about his parents though? He had the money and was the head of the house, Voldemort was gone and what's more the pureblooded families were dwindling so fast. He had even heard that Pansy had been dating a half-blood.  
  
Draco stepped out of the elevator, pushing his hair back and away from his face. Nearly every woman stopped to see him. They seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for this handsome man to make a move, perhaps towards them. He only sat down at a vacant booth, ordered some dry toast and pumpkin juice. He pulled out the accounting books that held all the digits pertaining to his account. It was dwindling quickly and since the fall of the Dark Lord, no one wanted a retired deatheater anymore; the under-the- spell-of-Voldemort wouldn't work anymore. He had no place in the Ministry of Magic since he left Hogwarts on Lucius's command. The stress of finding a way to keep a roof over he and his mother's head was coming on faster then he had expected, and with his mother going on her vacations all her expensive tastes would soon vanquish any Galleons he had left. He couldn't tell her he was failing. He couldn't tell anyone he would never be as smart and cunning as Lucius. If he were still alive he would know what to do. Draco never really liked his father but he had kept them out of Azkaban for so long, and was smart enough to work in the Ministry of Magic for so many years, yet he was a coward and did run back to the good side when Voldemort was shunned down by the despicable Potter boy. Maybe he should just be a coward and admit defeat but he was a Malfoy.  
  
He scribbled some notes next to the latest figures and nibbled on his dry toast. "Ah, Draco, my dear son you look so troubled," purred Narcissa. "I thought this vacation would do you some good. Your tan is becoming of you. You look less like your father that way." That must have really pleased her. She, on the other hand, was just as pale as she had always been. She sat down gracefully. "You know, dear, you're becoming of age and it's time to stop taking so much responsibility and just go have fun. I haven't seen you date in years. You're always cooped in your fathers' musty old office."  
  
"Mother, I." but his words were trailed off when Hermoine Granger descended a set of stairs. She was wearing a bright yellow sun dress instead of those frumpy Hogwarts robs and he could see that she had matured in many areas. Her bushy hair was still the same but seemed to appeal more to him now then it had before. It was pulled back in a blue and yellow ribbon, not maroon and gold but blue and yellow. They were no longer in Gryffindor and Slytherin. 'She's a MUDBLOOD, Draco,' he thought to himself.  
  
"Oh, my, just look at these half breeds waltzing around like they should even be here," sneered his mother. I heard your last girlfriend is even with a half-breed. What a shame." "You're absolutely right, mother. Disgusting," muttered Draco, but his eyes followed Hermoine until she walked out the large double doors. 


	5. The Beach or the Snow?

CHAPTER FIVE: The Beach or the Snow?  
  
'Just stare at the door and don't even glance at him,' Hermoine kept telling herself as she strode across the burgundy carpeted Main Hall. She had noticed Draco chatting with his pasty faced mother and staring at her with the eye of a snake hunting its prey.and knowing it could be caught.  
  
She could have killed him when he pulled that foolishness outside her room. How dare him! He sure hadn't grown up in the time they were apart from having their war against one house and the other. He had always been the one to make sure everyone knew she had Muggle parents. It was outright ridiculous that he would continue the same game he played as a first-year.  
  
He wasn't so handsome in his first year.  
  
Hermoine wanted to smack herself. 'Just stare at the door and don't even glance at him,' she repeated to herself. The Hall felt like it was one hundred miles long and kept expanding with his eyes boring into her like that. She wanted to run over and kick and scream at him about what he did but she knew as soon as he touched her, she would want to smash her lips upon his savagely. Her stomach began to flutter wildly at the sudden idea but before she could act her arm thought for her, raised and pushed the door open.  
  
The sun screamed at her eyes and she raised a hand to recover. One the left side of the giant front yard was a dozen beautiful hoola girls dancing to enchanted Congo drums. Many older Wizards, who had obviously started drinking early, stumbled and tried to pry the girls' skirts off and let them give it a dance or two. Coming to their rescue, a cute brunette girl began handing out complimentary hoola skirts from Holly Horris. Two large palm trees were drawn together by a bright golden rope that was obviously charmed not to come apart. In-between the two trees, Hermoine could see the beach and many people lying out already. Although outside the trees was just a large Quidditch field that was already quite busy for such early hours.  
  
On the right side of the resort was the other half of the Quidditch field but nearest to Hermoine was a gigantic igloo that's door was two times bigger then her. Of coarse, cute girls sat in front of the igloo in snow bunny costumes. Looking into it you could see a large sign that said "Warm Yer Innards" which didn't sound too inviting.  
  
"Hey, watch where you throw that thing!" one of the bunnies called. A younger looking fellow who was trying aimlessly to play Quidditch had thrown the Quaffle in the direction of one of the other bunnies and hit her directly in the nose.  
  
"So much for being pretty anymore," laughed Hermoine, as they escorted her to the sick room. The man, short and gangly, jogged awkwardly to get the Quaffle, after he dismounted his broom with trouble. He looked fearful to get near the angered snow bunnies.  
  
"Neville!" she called, waving like a maniac. She ran over and kissed him on the cheek. "I was hoping I would catch you here! You really got her!"  
  
"Yeah, Gram thinks I should learn to play with an instructor but I'm just not a wiz on a broom. She thought I would get better with age but." he blushed.  
  
"Well, I'm to the beach to read a new book I picked up from the front store. Would you care to join me when you get done with.your game," she smiled.  
  
"Yeah if Gram doesn't want to take skiing lessons next," he shuttered.  
  
"See you there then."  
  
She turned away from the igloo and accepted one of the grass skirts. 'Maybe Ron would like it,' she thought, smiling.  
  
When the warm sea air hit her, it was as if she were five hundred miles away from the resort. Kids were running up down the beach and some were even on their brooms but kept getting scolded. There was a snack bar to her right and the line was small because the sun wasn't belting down like the forecast says it will this afternoon. Beside the snack bar was the souvenir shop. She promised her mother a enchanted castle made of sand and shells.  
  
As she knew Neville wouldn't be practicing for long on his Quidditch, she wanted to sit out in the open. Hermoine unbuttoned the top of her dress and let it fall to her ankles. Even though she didn't notice it, many other guys did. She was wearing a two-piece that was pretty modest and didn't show much cleavage. She didn't need to show anything. Her body was shapely and gorgeous. She had gone from a bookwork little girl to a full grown woman and it all showed.  
  
She picked up her dress and laid out her towel. Pulling her legs against her chest she began to read 'Unicorns as Fiction and Unicorns as Facts.' She hadn't been reading but for a few minutes when she felt a large hand wrap around her arm and jerk her upward.  
  
"What the.MALFOY!" she exclaimed, trying to pull away as he dragged her across the beach. Every wizard and witch there was staring at them. One tall slightly muscular man who had his eye on Hermoine before stepped up in front of Draco but one look in his eyes and the guy moved over.  
  
"LET ME GO!" she screamed as he slammed her against the wall in- between the snack bar and souvenir shop. His nails were digging into her arm and bruising them.  
  
"What-do-you-think-you-are-doing?" he breathed heavily in her face.  
  
"What in the WORLD are you talking about and WHOS BUISNESS IS THAT OF YOURS ANYHOW?" she spat.  
  
"Did you see the way they were all looking at you?" His eyes were on fire, despite the blue. He looked like an animal. "You just cutely drop your dress for everyone to see? I saw you with Longbottom too! I saw you KISS HIM! What are thinking?"  
  
"W-w-why do YOU care what I do!" She was stuttering now. Her hands were shaking and her legs would hardly hold her. His nose was touching hers. "I h-h-hate you, D-d-draco!"  
  
At the sound of his name slipping through her lips he couldn't stop what had to happen next..  
  
Sorry it took so LONG!!! Tell me what you think!!! 


	6. Spell of Sorrow

Chapter 6: Spell of Sorrow By:Rattwitch Disclaimer: None of this belong to me.but I think you know that ^.^ Enjoy! R&R  
  
Letting her go, he slapped her with the free hand that wasn't bawled up in a fist. Hermoine's face shot to one side and tears sprayed from her eyes. She placed a trembling hand on her cheek and turned to him, her lower lip quivering.  
  
"Why?" she whispered.  
  
"Don't you know, filty mudblood? It's for being born." He smirked and strode out of the beach area. Everyone turned their backs on him, pretending as if nothing had happened while the sobbing witch lay against the snack shop.  
  
Draco could hear his own teeth grind as he almost sprinted back to the hotel. She had said his name.he watched her lips form his name for the first time and things that he had never felt before boiled in his mind. It seemed like desire and happiness but not even a second went by and he could hear his father screaming: "MUDBLOOD! MY SON DESIRES A MUDBLOOD! WEAK, DISCUSTING BOY! USELESS! NO GOOD! YOU SHOULD BE A BASTARD! YOU ARE NOTHING LIKE ME, YOU-ARE-NOT-A-MALFOY!"  
  
Damn, he had been so close to kissing her soft lips. He could've tasted her sweet mouth. It made his face feel hot, but then again it felt like someone had dropped a rock in his stomach and carved GUILT on it. He knew his father was dead and he could do whatever he pleased but what about his mother? The Purebloods line was growing thin and not many more existed that weren't already related to him. It was supposed to be a glorious honor to be pureblood but right now it didn't feel anything but a burden.  
  
He saw Neville running towards where Hermoine was. Maybe it was his meanness, or because he was jealous, he didn't know. Draco put his large shoulder out and collided with Neville's nose. Neville fell to his knees and groaned.  
  
"Listen, Malfoy," he said getting up and rubbing his nose, feeling brave. "You can pick on me all you want but you leave Hermoine alone."  
  
"I will, with pleasure, pick on you but the little know-it-all gets everything she deserves and I'd like to see you try and stop me."  
  
Neville did nothing of the sort but said as he was jogging to Hermoine, "we're not in school anymore, Malfoy. Grow up."  
  
Draco would have retorted but Neville was already around the corner, tending to his friend. Girlfriend for all he could care. He punched the side of his legs and dashed into the hotel. His mother was still sitting in the same spot, reading through the Daily Prophet. "Fresh air suit you, Draco?" she asked smoothly, not looking up from her morning tea.  
  
"It was as to be expected," he said coolly, putting on his mask of satisfaction. Inside the dragon was raging in his heart, setting it on fire. "I'm going to my room. I'm going to take a nap. Don't waste your time knocking because I won't answer it."  
  
She just continued reading and waved him away with her hand that was lingering around the tea cup. He tossed a Galleon on the table and headed to the bar on the third floor, with no intention of returning to his room. When he closes his eyes all he sees is that gi...no she's a woman and she's what he must have to get rid of the small but irritating, squeezing ache that was growing in his chest.  
  
Not to his surprise, the bar was nearly empty except for a few at the bar drinking quickly so they can spend their day vacationing with a comfortable buzz. A few others were passed and looked like they drank too quickly to realize they were even at a resort. There were dim lights around the walls and floating orbs advertising different alcoholic beverages. The black grand piano was in the very center of the room and looked unused.  
  
He sat at the end of the bar and ordered a shot of vodka and two bottles of, "your finest and oldest," wine and a clean glass. "You look a little young to be drinking, son, but then again you don't look like you feel too young right now huh?" He slid him his bottles and poured the shot slowly, watching the blond boy drink directly from the bottle. When he came back for breath he wiped his lips and continued to drink as hard and as fast as he could allow himself without passing.  
  
Slamming the bottle down and emptying its contents he sneered, "Lucius's son knows how to drink, now, I demand my liquor!" He burped loudly and messed up his nice slick hair with his hands, as if he was trying to shake something from his head but after the next bottle of wine and a shot of vodka, he was hardly remembering his name.  
  
"Bartender," he slurred, moving in next to the bartenders ear. "I bet there's something I know that you don't."  
  
"What, son," the old man asked.  
  
"I'm in love!" he exclaimed, smiling happily.  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yes! It makes me want to pay the piano of grand that's," he pointed, "r-r-right there!" He took off his over coat and unbuttoned his white dress shirt. "Let's make this room into a par-tay!" At the time he had came in there weren't too many people but now the bar was nearly full for many hours of drunken rambling went on but when he started laughing like a crazy man and declaring a piano session everyone seemed to notice him.  
  
He jumped on the piano and began slamming on it continuously, making sound that sounded like nothing at first, like he was mad at the piano or it had said something to make him act like a child but then he just stopped. He stared at the keys with wide blue eyes and remembered her face, smiling when he wasn't around. He began playing Chopin with sad slow fingers; stopping sometimes to remember what he was doing but playing beautifully when he felt her breathing on his lips. At one time he stopped to pop his fingers and take another swig of a new bottle of wine, she walked through. In such a blurry and drunken state, he thought she was a mirage of sorts and shook his head then blinked his eyes until he knew she was the girl making him feel this way.  
  
"You!" he shouted.  
  
She stopped in her tracks, the smile on her face was fading from her face and so was her color, except for a bright red spot still lingering there on her cheek like a warning sign. A short boy he really didn't recognize stepped in front of her.  
  
"You leave her alone, Malfoy!"  
  
Without even thinking he quickly swatted the small boy away like a fly and wrapped his hands in her soft hair. She jerked at his touch but didn't pull away. "I was wishing you were here," he whispered onto her lips. She was breathing so hard. "I want to give you what you give to me and every breath that is in your lungs is a gift to me, so I have so long to give back." She was beginning to sag in his arms that were now wrapped around her waist. He pressed his lips against hers and swayed with the weight of hers and his together. The liquor somehow evaporated and the scene was so clear to him but instead of disgust he wants to get her alone and make her want him as much as he wanted her.  
  
He would have tried if Neville Longbottom hadn't punched him in the side of the face.  
  
The next thing he remembered was waking up to the brightness of his room. He was wearing an entire dressrobe attire. His head was aching terribly, but that wasn't the thing that he noticed the most. His mother, next to him, staring down at him with a gaze he'd never even seen. She looked so let down. Lucius had given him that look many times but his mother had never cared to even look at him much.  
  
"We need to talk about this, Draco Malfoy."  
  
Yeah I know this is really long but Draco Malfoy needs a long story too ;) I think this is all I'm adding tonight cause I'm tired lol I just got done with OOTP for the 2nd time and it's time to start over and go to sleep ;) and to think I graduated high school like this.lol Thanks for reading! 


	7. Serving Up Dreams

"Harlot!" a growling voice accused. Hermione was shaking Draco, who had fell to the ground. "You fool, step away from him with your filthy hands!"  
  
Narcissa towered above her, staring into Hermione with a killer intent. She was wearing a full dress robe array and her hair had been pulled into a tight, neat bun on the top of her head. Tear-dropped green emeralds dangled from her long earlobes. She had had the same complexion as Draco had when he was enrolled in Hogwarts and their eyes remained the same stunning blue that could not be dulled nor darkened by the sun. It was chilled by their own hearts.  
  
When he had been kissing her and she had had her hands pressed so close against his warm skin, she never wanted to be anywhere else. He tasted like wine but Hermione could only guess was that even without the influence of liquor his lips would taste like the sweet sensation she had felt moments ago. In her stomach, little fireworks exploded and she had felt so hot, her face felt flushed with hot embers. He had put his knee out and in-between her legs, setting her senses on high. It had barely grazed what lie between her thighs. The moment had been so brief and fleeting. What would a minute of his hands on her do to her?  
  
"How embarrassing," Narcissa moaned, shattering Hermiones thoughts at once. "A mudblood; not one ounce of magical blood. Why, alone, should I bear the burden of my son's foolish mistakes, once again?  
  
The long-faced woman snapped her fingers and ushered her room maids to carry her son to his quarters and pack his bags immediately.  
  
"No," Hermione whispered into Draco's sleeve.  
  
"Speak up if you wish to be heard, Mudblood."  
  
"No, you will not take him. He SAID he likes me. He's old enough to choose his own lovers, friends, and even.wives."  
  
Narcissa almost seemed taken back but was too regal to show it. "You will regret talking back to me. Yes, I can assure you that you won't be pleased with what I have in store for you. Please, mention to everyone I have threatened you because I have. Do you not see the state my pathetic son is in? Behaving like a half-blood in front of all of these.people. You could have been many of Draco's lovers. His befuddled eyes did not see you. Be gone with you little girl."  
  
The words Ms. Malfoy uttered seem to hit the same dead strings in Hermione's heart that Draco hit when he was lashing out painful insults at her.  
  
The room maids pulled the drunken boy out from under Hermione's dead weight. She didn't seem to have many reflexes as she let herself fall to the floor in easy defeat. Neville attempted to help her up but she lay anyhow, drowning in a sea of staring eyes. She drew her legs against her chest and shook violently - eventually the old bartender assisted Neville in carrying Hermione back to her room.  
  
"Oh.is she sick? Sir, may I pry and ask what is wrong with my temporary mistress?" Egoise was fluttering here and there, wringing her hands with nervousness.  
  
As much as Hermione wished it, her heart would not turn to stone. She had hoped so much he had wanted her. She was hoping he had changed his mind. She knew he had slapped her but it hurt so much more badly inside her chest.  
  
"Listen to me, Hermione Granger, you are ok now. When Harry and Ron get here you will be ok. Egoise, please run down to your sick room and see what they can brew up for a stressed woman to sleep."  
  
"Neville?"  
  
"I am here, what is it?"  
  
"Do you think he could love me?" she asked softly, staring at the wall.  
  
Neville seriously thought on it. "Granger, even dragons have hearts. I think only a huge amount of strength to purge the heart of the flames that surround and protect its weak spot, could make a dragon see beyond its pride."  
  
"Such wise words," she said, her voice cracking.  
  
"Yeah, well, it doesn't happen often," Neville muttered, blushing. He tapped his watch and took a double take. "4 a.m.! Gram is going to have a heart attack! Hermione I'm sorry to leave you on a limb but I'm sure Gram was up all night worried about me."  
  
He stood up to leave. He got up to leave and said, "Ron's heart is an open book, if only you took the time to study it. You think you can see your future with Ron as clear as crystal but anyone with half a mind can also see yours and Draco's." He sighed.  
  
The door clicked but the sound was deafening to Hermione. It felt like Neville had hit her with a sledgehammer. She imagined her heart and brains lain out in the open, all broken up and mixed together.  
  
Neville was good to send Egoise away to get the potion. Hermione's eyes stayed wide open until her room maid urged her to drink it the gray, frothy liquid. She would begin sip but drift off into a daze until Egoise had to tip it so she was forced to drink or choke.  
  
The next morning Hermione was awoke by her sweet, short haired Egoise bringing in the Belgian waffles and smoked sausages. She had nearly forgotten about the ridicules and heart wrenching scene that had occurred.  
  
"May I butter it for you, ma'am?"  
  
Hermione sighed and shook her head. "Why are you serving me like a house elf?"  
  
The maid only smiled with stars in her eyes. "I won't go into details of coarse because how becoming would it be for me to do so? No, I won't. I will just say, Ms. Horris is quite the sympathizer for dreaming Muggles."  
  
"What do you mean by that? Really, I'm interested. It will get my mind off other things."  
  
Hermione could almost swear Egoise went slowly scarlet as she spoke. "Very well then, the mistress is always right. Well, when I was young I always hoped I was special for something. I was never friends with any of the kids in school. I was always painting canvas's full of witches on brooms and cats that could talk. I believed in unicorns and dragons. When I was outside I would pray to the sky that my special place in life could just appear in front of me.  
  
"Sadly to say it took many more years and a near death experience to land me in one of the many Bermuda Triangles, or black holes in the ocean, that had been set up to protect places like these. Holly Horris hired me right away after I told her how much I wanted to be apart of her resort chain. Sometimes I wonder if she messed with my memory but.all in all I'm here with whom I should be, right? I'll settle with that," she finished curtly.  
  
"And this pleases you? Instead of getting to be a witch, you are content with serving them?" Hermione asked, appalled.  
  
"Well, if I wasn't ma'am, and I didn't settle for second best then I would be alone again wouldn't I?" She clamped her lips together to silence herself and left Hermione to a cold breakfast and new things to think about.  
  
**  
  
I'm sorry if there are a lot of grammatical errors.I'm not one to boast about being good in English and I don't know too many people who want to sit and read through and edit all my mistakes. Please just take this story for what it's worth and if you don't like, please tell me what I can do to change it. 


	8. Half the Man

Narcissa then broke his wand in front of him. She gave no reason for this. It was purely insult. She lit a fire with her wand and disposed of the useless, broken pieces of wood. "This wand will die with your immaturity and foolish, lustful heart."  
  
She had embarrassed him in every way possible. First and foremost, she stalked him back up to the bar after she had sobered him by smacking him around and cursing his branchy-haired dirty-blooded whore. The words stung more then the slaps. The barman had mouthed, 'fight back' but the once bright eyed boy looked like a beaten horse. He looked useless and soulless.  
  
She treated him as if he were an old broken down horse. She bound his hands together with the golden ropes that held together the massive palm trees outside the beach. The room maids of Malfoy pushed him rudely down all the stairs but even when the landing knocked the wind from him, he did not call out for her.  
  
The maids tugged him into the Thestral carriage and wished their mistress a happy flight and to come again. The gray flecks in her eyes burned with quiet rage. "We shall return soon."  
  
When they reached the sky and the thestrals had straightened themselves out, Narcissa coughed gently into her fist and let it fall onto her lap. "So, tell me, Draco Malfoy, after I was the one who kept you in school for at least six years, this is how you thank me? It isn't your fault you're a weak link. There are always those few in families. I'm so disgusted it had to be my own though."  
  
She paused dramatically. "Well, I know I deserve the silent treatment. God knows, your father treated me that way too. He always thought he had the upper hand in everything. When I was young being married to a Malfoy was such an honor. What house full of deceits hidden by a pretty name. Your father only knew me when he wanted a son. He would come in at night and whisper other women's names into my ear but I cared not. I loved him less then he ever thought he loved me. That was his downfall and yours as well.  
  
"Ah, but all that aside. You must know your father and I weren't a normal married couple of course. What really excites me is my plans for you have moved up faster then I expected and nearly all the preparations are in order. No, my son, you won't have to worry about the Mudblood anymore.  
  
"It's been planned for a year, and I knew you would protest. I sent us both off on a vacation with the last you'd been meagerly trying to hide from me. I wanted you to have a nice vacation and get to look at everything the free life had to offer before you were betrothed." She said it so coolly. Draco hardly noticed what had slid from her lips.  
  
"B-b-betrothed?" he gasped.  
  
The older woman nodded like a praised little girl. "To a well off and prestigious family, just as I knew you would. Yes, I adore that look on your face. You want to hurt me, no? I sold you off like cattle, didn't I?"  
  
"You can't, you bitch, you can't!" he snarled.  
  
"Can't I? Your money is gone, your wand is gone. You never finished school and your kind has always relied on family. Where will you go, little Draco? Will it be to your wonderful, successful Muggle-born whore? I would like to see her mother and fathers faces when a Malfoy takes a step on their door."  
  
"Y-y-y-you." he stuttered, completely bewildered by his mother. Her calm demeanor was both depressing and comforting as a boy. She would just agree and go with it. It seemed she would run that race no longer. She hadn't outlived Lucius to be overthrown by his mere son.  
  
"Y-y-y-you...," she mimicked cruelly. "Yes, it is I who runs the Malfoy Manor now. Your wife will be as cold and unloving as I. You will wield to our every whim. You are a broken wizard now, Malfoy. I will treat you the way I never treated your father and he will feel my wrath through you."  
  
She swished her wand and freed her confused son from the binds of the golden ropes. "Attack me now, as you weak men must. I have been a step ahead you and your father. Beat me for me, like you beat your filthy Mudblood and I will enjoy just as much as she." Narcissa's insults sunk into his skin like hot acid.  
  
Yet, he did not stir. He couldn't even blink.  
  
"Pansy Parkinson," she stated.  
  
"What?" That name made him blink.  
  
"The Parkinson's are a wealthy family. If we give them our name then in return we get their money. Pansy will be your wife. Oh, Draco, you think she wants to marry you? She would have sexual relations with that half- blood instead of you if I hadn't promised her certain.things. I have signed your name on all the necessary papers and my signature as well. As soon as we touch the ground you will be ushered into the manor where the ceremony will begin."  
  
His once handsome face sunk in defeat. His eyes were no longer a sharp blue but dull and lifeless. He had never expected such announcements such as these. To think only five hours ago all he was worried about was getting Hermione in bed. Now these thoughts went far beyond lust.  
  
"I am weak," he said calmly.  
  
"Yes, you are," she consoled. Narcissa embraced her son as if she had mothered to him his whole life.  
  
Two main wings on the left and right were nearly covered in vines at never grew flowers but managed to creep up the stone towers, making its way closer each summer to the top. In-between the towers though was the main parts of the manor, calculated 16 well fashioned bedrooms and eight bathrooms upstairs and downstairs. The ballroom was the main room as soon as a Malfoy would step in. In the center off the dance floor was a giant snake with its tongue coiled out. Its hood shaded a part of the floor as the snake stared down upon the glossy wood. Lucius had had it built nearly 6 months before his death.  
  
The ceiling was covered completely in mirrors but with dusty looking snakes curling above. Sometimes they would get tired of slithering in the same spot and one could find a gray, large snake slithering in their bathroom mirror at some point.  
  
Each of the doors had a different Latin name engraved on it so it's easy for a Malfoy to move from room to room through floo powder. The fireplaces were made of black marble adorned with different wizard artifacts and some of antique snakes.  
  
Yet, with all of the décor, none was as beautiful as the room in the back of the ballroom. The doors were made of Darkwood Willow trees bound together and bound good for not one way ray of light could reach through. In this room, only a Malfoy can step. The floors weren't floors at all, but smooth stepping stones that led across a dark sea of water. Giant snakes of all sizes swam in the waters, breeding themselves every few days and then destroying each other and so on. Sometimes the youngest of the Malfoy's could watch them battle each other forever. The sides of the room where enchanted to look like they would go on forever, but as Draco knew they weren't too far in between.  
  
The impressive line that flowed through the blood of Malfoy was inscribed here on the far wall with another enchantment that, when used right, another Malfoy could point his or her wand at the wall and see their painted photograph. If one of the family betrays the code of their honor, their name is magically omitted from the wall and forgotten for all time. Lucius's name glowed with bright green, for he was all honor and had only passed. Below Lucius though, there was a dull name that was nearly erased and was fading faster with every curse he thought under his breath towards his own family.  
  
It would have disappeared totally if he hadn't heard himself.that tiny little voice saying. 'I know I am a Malfoy.I'm just better.no one will take that from me.'  
  
Pansy was waiting outside the doors. Draco knew she was there. His mother had once told him how they had consummated their marriage in the family circle. He felt the carriage collide with the ground. It was a little more uncomfortable then Narcissa would have liked. It made Draco a little more cheerful then a moment ago.  
  
She looked just as excited about this as he did. She didn't even pretend to smile. Pansy glared at him as if he had wanted all of this. Instead of trying to stare her down, he bowed his head and hid inside his hair. He missed her huge grin of satisfaction she passed to Narcissa.  
  
"Let's get on with it then, darling," Pansy purred in his ear. "I will enjoy slicing your skin open."  
  
Pansy pulled the dagger from her robes and sliced her arm evenly and without flinching. The black blood erupted from the deep wound. "Don't look worried, Draco; it hurts terribly." He thought she did it as slow as possible when she slid the blade across his wide forearm. Narcissa then tied their arms together and their blood was dripping as one.  
  
Draco pressed his other hand against the door and whispered, "Veni Vici Vidi."  
  
The tree limbs let their strong grip go and creaked open. It looked as dreadful as ever in that certain room. "Now," Narcissa ordered, "place your one arm into the lake made from the blood of our ancestors."  
  
Draco pulled back and wanted to fight but Pansy's father who was standing at the end of the Ballroom cried, "Crucio!" and Draco's nerve endings were screaming and on fire. The father stopped abruptly and coughed loudly. He was instructing Draco's continuance of the ceremony. The blond devil had never felt so helpless and alone, even when Lucius was around.  
  
The groom lowered their arms into the clear water. As soon as their blood touched the water, the entire room was enveloped in a red glow and something began to hum. The snakes were trashing in their spots and seemed to be dying. 'Hermione,' Draco thought to himself,' I vow myself to you. As I open my wound a second time, you will be my final bride.'  
  
He promised her this in his head night after night. After the marriage, the Parkinson's unpacked their daughters' belongings and carried them to her room. She had knocked on his door several times during the night but he had not responded.  
  
"I will punish you, if you don't answer the door," she threatened but he didn't care. Right now he didn't have Hermione to touch and to kiss. The one and only kiss they had shared. His body felt alive at the thought of her hands on his bare chest; the way she scraped her hips against his and shuttered with delight. It didn't taste like the victory he had thought it would. He thought kissing her would rid him of his desire but he wanted everything she possessed now.  
  
As he dreamt of her, a green flame appeared and a girl, taller then Pansy emerged. She was wearing a long scarlet see through gown and her face was shrouded in darkness. "Draco, my love," she cooed and crawled on top of his cold flesh.  
  
"Hermione?" he asked while his eyes were tracing her face. She looked so much like her.but why.she's not here. "No, I am alone. She isn't here."  
  
"No, she isn't, but Draco.let your mind believe it is true and it shall be." He could tell it was Pansy's voice. She had taken a Polyjuice potion, obviously. The Hermione look-alike pulled off her gown and strattled his hips. She was grinding him very slowly and taking broken gasps in his ear.  
  
"Take her, Draco."  
  
"NO!" A voice cried. An image that faded in and out was desperately reaching out to him. It was Hermione that night in the bar.  
  
"Draco, take her," begged the Hermione look-alike.  
  
"Please Draco come to me," sighed the image of her.  
  
"Draco you can take her."  
  
"Come to me."  
  
"With invisible wings in the sky," they both murmured together.  
  
"GAH!" Draco screamed and sat up. No one was there. "Not again," he sighed to himself. Every night was the same thing since he had got back to the manor. Except this time they had mentioned something about a sky.  
  
It had been about a week of seclusion as his mother and wife neither acknowledged nor tormented him. He just sat alone and tried to draw up pictures of her in his mind. He had to get to her!  
  
"Wait."  
  
He pulled a key that he had been keeping in between his bed and opened his large trunk of old Hogwarts things. Maybe he left some pictures of her in here. He sighed at the old, tattered Slytherin robes he had once been so fond of. He pulled it out to put it on but then stopped. He stared at his answer. He didn't need a picture to see her. He had his Nimbus 2001.  
  
She sat up in her bed and gasped.  
  
"Wha?" asked a tired voice, male voice.  
  
"Nothing, don't worry.just a dream. Go back to sleep, Ron."  
  
Hermione sat chewing her nails in the pitch black room. 


	9. Fate Happens

She slipped out from the warm covers. The moonlight was shining through her big bay windows. It glimmered on her white skin before she pulled her cotton robes. Hermione looked at Ron, sleeping deeply. He and Harry had just gotten here two days ago and she had already slept with him. She was hoping mostly to get Draco from her mind. She did love Ron, but it wasn't the same feeling she shared when she just thought of the blond dragon.  
  
She met them at the entrance and took Ron's hand immediately. He blushed so deeply and it made his freckles stand out. She could feel him tremble every time she spoke. Hermione broke the connection and felt so guilty for not feeling the way he did.  
  
"I have to keep trying," Hermione said to herself. "I can't like Draco anymore. I must settle for what will work." The small conversation she had with her room maid, Egoise, had made her see. Also, Draco was drunk when he said those things to her. What if he was seeing someone else? She couldn't believe she was swooning over one little kiss from Malfoy.  
  
"Hey guys!" They gave quick hugs and Ron and Harry looked around. "I'm so happy you're here. Neville is here for another week, too. He actually can get away from his Gran today. We can go do something fun without his Gran accusing us of getting him in trouble again." They all laughed. Even though Neville's grandma wanted him to be a strong wizard like his parents, she was offended when Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gotten Neville into trouble with Voldemort so soon in his 5th year. She was always telling him to stay away from "those three." The trio was proud of him, though, and that was most important to him.  
  
"So, Hermione," asked Harry, "what have you been doing?"  
  
She perched her lips together and sighed. She had been sitting in her room most everyday just reading.or crying. Neville had visited her once a day and was sworn to secrecy not to tell Harry or Ron. It was hard even now to get out and want to do something but if she would have left, the guys would have known something was wrong.  
  
"I've just been enjoying the outdoors," she lied.  
  
"I heard they had Wizards chess tournaments," Ron remarked gleefully. "I'm going to enter and win the 50 Galleon prize. WHOA! Harry, look at that Quidditch field! Bloody hell!"  
  
Harry patted the broom he had at his side. "Let's go! Hermione get on."  
  
"I think I will ride with Ron this time," she blushed. "You go a little too fast, Harry."  
  
Ron went red again when she stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.  
  
"Ok then," Harry smiled. Harry's broom lifted up in a flash and he soared to the field. Ron lifted up a little slower, since Hermione had mentioned Harry went too fast. They slowly flew by all the booths and above all the people. She told him about the Hoola girls and how she had picked him up one to wear.  
  
'He's matured so much and is handsome. He's so nice to me as well. Why shouldn't we be together? What do I care if Dra.Malfoy likes me? His way of life is way too different from mine. He wouldn't stay with me.'  
  
"I'm so happy that you're here, Ron," she whispered in his ear. He turned his cheek to her and she kissed it.  
  
"Yeah.I'm really glad I'm here too." He tried to hide his excitement. He put a large hand on his cheek. His smile spread to his ears. "I'm really, really glad, Hermione."  
  
After watching them play Quidditch for an eternity, Neville met them at the ground. They ate dinner in the hotel this time, hoping to save a little money for the Fairy Festival that was going on tomorrow. At the end of the day Ron walked her to her room and he had taken her hand before she could act.  
  
"I don't know any poems or how to cook, Hermione. I'm dirt poor. I can't do a lot of things and I know I'm not great looking but." he stopped her from saying anything. "But I know I can treat you really good and I won't ever hurt you. Sometimes when I'm sitting alone, thinking of you I feel like if I could just hear your voice I wouldn't even care about hearing anything else," he laughed, "and yes I even want to hear your insults."  
  
She smiled and put both hands to her face. "I.I."  
  
"Oh!" He looked nervous all of a sudden. "Don't answer now. Just go think it out and I'll see you in the morning." He pecked her on the cheek and left her standing there, looking bewildered.  
  
The next day had been a little awkward. Hermione suspected Ron wanted an answer soon because he kept taking little glances at her and smiling back down at whatever he was reading.  
  
There weren't many things on the resort to do on this particular day because it was the 4th annual Fairy Festival. Most people came to the resort just for this one festival because they had just about everything there, including the ancient fairies of old that hosted and planned the festival in secret. No man had been allowed to see the ancient fairies for fear that their beautiful would kill them instantly. The Ancient ones are a very small race but all arrived on the stage at the beginning of the day, all wearing veils.  
  
A lot of men and a few women began shouting to take off the veil. They wanted to see the face of them for beneath the veils their faces were glowing with excitement. Hermione was silently wishing she could see them and could only guess how sad it would be if you couldn't show your face and had to live in hiding. The queen fairy was much smaller then the rest of them, and appeared to be a little girl. She chose such a form because she was so old, but yearned to be young and innocent again.  
  
Harry was whistling and offering the highest bid for just a small glace but Ron wasn't paying any attention to the fairies. His eyes were locked on her. She waved politely and stepped next to him. "Hi, Ron." She ran the heel of her foot along the ground and acted like she was studying the grass. The band struck up in a waltz after the fairies finished their speech and getting what little social interaction they would get for another year. Harry moved to the side and began chatting to another girl about Quidditch.  
  
"Hi, Hermione," he said. He held his hand out in front of her. She placed her small hand in his sweaty, shaking palm. The violins were so slow and comforting but it didn't break the tension.  
  
"I'm not well dressed for this," she said quietly. Ron tilted her head up to look at him.  
  
"Just wear a smile for always, and that's all you'll need."  
  
Hermione pressed herself against Ron's chest and sighed deeply. She was trying to get Draco's face out of her head; trying to wish that he was the one saying those things to her. Ron was trying so hard and though he was attractive.he wasn't Draco Malfoy. Ron was Ron. Yet.Draco Malfoy was Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Ron.I want to be with you always," she managed to say. She craned her neck up and kissed him on his bottom lip. Her mind panicked for a moment and her eyes searched the crowd for someone staring at her but everyone was too busy dancing.  
  
He didn't really kiss her back but he did quit dancing. The smile slid from his face for a moment. He couldn't believe what he heard. "Ron? Are you ok?" Did he see the momentary fear in her eyes?  
  
Ron Weasley wasn't much in the way of muscles but he lifted her light torso into the air and laughed wildly, as if she were a child. He gave her a bear hug that was completely comfortable, unlike some of their other hugs that had been ridged and misplaced. "Of course I am! I'm perfect!"  
  
"Well," she said, laughing, "don't kick your heels or anything."  
  
**  
  
Be known to no one else, someone did see the romantic scene between the red-head and blushing girl. He was wearing robes that were everything but his size and the hem came to the middle of his shin. The shoulders seems were ripping at the size of the man's shoulders but the hood hid his face and that's the important part.  
  
He cracked his hands by making a huge fist and stood up. If he had been a dumb man, he would have ran into the crowd and beat the man's face in but he turned his back and strode off into the forest, his fists tight and his fingers digging into the palms of them. He didn't notice the trail of blood he left behind him.  
  
**  
  
So, Hermione was now here again, in her cotton robes, and Ron snoring slowly in her bed. She had thought she would forget Draco this way, but it only made it terribly worse. Her heart sank. There should be a law forbidding people to date until their 30, she thought. It was all so complicated! Why do I even need a boyfriend? I don't! I don't.need.Malfoy.  
  
She sighed and stood up. She couldn't sit in this room. She pulled on a pair of shorts and a white tee-shirt Ron had worn under his robes this evening. It smelled like his cologn and Hermione's eyes welled up with tears.  
  
She was such a liar and a terrible one at that. She couldn't go on pretending Ron was the one she wanted forever when some days she would wish he had pale skin free of freckles and blond hair. She couldn't want him to be someone else everyday.  
  
The halls were long and quiet but she wasn't paying attention as she rushed to the elevator. She jabbed the button with her thumb, knowing full well it wasn't going to come any faster.  
  
"You sure do get busy quick," a voice drawled. Draco stared down at her with daggers in his eyes. "In a hurry? I would like to speak with you," he growled. When the elevator doors opened he pushed her in. 


	10. Population: 2 and a half

She sat rigid like a statue and waited to be slapped again but he only kneeled down in front of her and put his head in her lap. He looked so tired. She ran her hands through his messy hair that was filled with leaves and dirt. His face was streaked with dark stuff. Hermione couldn't tell if it was dried blood or not.  
  
Draco stopped the elevator on the 5th floor.  
  
"Why are you here?" she asked.  
  
He looked up at her and she gasped. The bags under his eyes were nearly black and his eyes were blood shot. It was blood on his face. There were little cuts on his nose and cheeks. "I thought.maybe, you were thinking of me," he said in a small voice.  
  
Hermione gulped down a sob and embraced him. She didn't notice him flinch, like sudden contact frightened him. One of his arms was bandaged but the bandage was nearly all red. "I thought you hate me! I don't understand you, Malfoy. I don't.understand.you," she said slowly as he kissed up her thigh.  
  
"I have thought of you every second since that kiss. I could drown in your brown eyes."  
  
"I.didn't.Ron." she choked.  
  
"Yes.him. I seen you kiss him but I know you're mine. You could be married to anyone and you would still be mine."  
  
Hermione expect him to be so upset but he was calm. She was anything but. Her insides were all tied together and the tingling sensation in her stomach had spread in between her legs, when he began kissing the lower part of her stomach. "Why?" she asked him, in between small gasps.  
  
He reached over and brushed the hair from her face. "You know why I'm here. Do I have to say it?" He put his hips between her legs and lifted her out of the seat and onto the ground. She didn't even notice he had moved her. Hermione was lost in his eyes that looked so warm. "Yes, tell me."  
  
He un-did the clasp on his too small Slytherin robes and began unwrapping his bandage. The wound was obviously infected and was hurting him so bad. Coming out of her haze, Hermione stared at his arm. "Why don't you heal it?" she asked. "Would you like me to do it?"  
  
"No," he sighed. "I love you, woman, and I don't feel there's any need to explain it. I know you're supposed to be mine. No one deserves you but me. If you love me, hold your hand out. If you question me, you will question my love for you and you know better."  
She smiled weakly. "You're always so bold, Mr. Malfoy." She put out her hand.  
  
"When the blood of a Malfoy willingly mixes with the blood of another, they are, in some way, joined to the family and the ties hold strong until they are dead or banished by the blood it's self. Our family is the purest of the pure. With my blood in your veins, I will know there is hope for us in the future."  
  
"In the future? You're going to leave me?" She pulled her hand back.  
  
"At this point, it would be useless for me stay. I saw Ron's face. I hate that guy with all my being but I love you, and I know that if I stay Narcissa will come and kill you. I don't want this night to be in vain. You know I will come for you. Until then, I know the Weasel will take care of you."  
  
Draco snatched her hand back and pulled a kitchen knife from the pocket of his robes. "I know this hurts but I will make it up to you," he said, swiftly slicing a wound into her palm. She flinched but didn't call out until he cut his infected wound open on his forearm as if it hurt her more then it hurt him.  
  
Hermione had thought it would just be a cold sensation when they transferred each others blood but it was burning, painful sensation. Every nerve ending was on fire in her body. She began trying to pull away frantically but he held fast to her.  
  
"IT BURNS! IT BURNS! STOP!" she cried. She was pushing herself against Draco, sobbing. He was crying silently too, but not because it hurt.  
  
"Hold still," he cooed, trying to ease her. "I know it burns. It's mixing with Muggle blood. We will end this with feud between Muggles and Purebloods."  
  
She could barely hear him though. The sounds were drowned out by the throbbing in her ears. She thought she was hallucinating. The elevator had melted away and made room for a giant watery tomb of a place. She couldn't feel anything anymore, not even her own fingers on her skin.  
  
She stood up, alone, and stared around at all the carvings that were glowing in some places. A small, blond boy was at the end of the list, sitting near the water's edge and poking at a small snake with his tiny broomstick.  
  
"Boy," a booming voice called.  
  
"Lucius," Hermione whispered. She pressed her back tightly against the stone wall.  
  
He could've walked right through her; instead he walked right past her and pulled the small Draco up by the back of his robes. The boy regained his composure and stood as straight as a soldier. Lucius still glared at him. "Why is your hair so untidy? Your robes are all wrinkly as well," he observed, walking around him in slow circles. Draco remained stiff, unmoving.  
  
"Tell me, Draco. Who do you serve?"  
  
"Lord Voldemort, sir."  
  
"What are you, boy?"  
  
"A Malfoy, sir."  
  
"What does that mean, boy?"  
  
The young boy's eyes flickered. "I am to be.responsible for the future of our past.g-generations and the future of the wizarding world its self."  
  
Lucius's lip curled. He smacked Draco with all the power in his hand, just like Draco had done to Hermione. The boy's head must have reeled at impact but in spite of it all, his hair being even messier and his knees knocking, stood back up on his unbalanced feet.  
  
"You are Malfoy," his father said over his shoulder before leaving the room. "You do not serve anything but your name."  
  
The scene Hermione witnessed was neither a hallucination nor a dream but a little of both. Draco's memories flooded into her mind and for a while it was ok to learn about the nortorious Malfoy who was so stone hearted and cruel. It always seemed like sweet revenge to see it at first.but only at first. The scenes were always more cruel and painful as the memories went on. Hermione could barely contain herself when she woke up. How could someone so beaten and broken possibly love her? What love could be left in such a man?  
  
"Dra." she started weakly.  
  
"Shhh," he blew against her lips. "Don't say my name just yet."  
  
Draco kissed down her chin and the hollow of her neck, resting only a second to savor the clean smell of her skin. His right hand had moved lower and lifting her shirt up to expose her breasts. At first he made no quick movement, just stared at them without a word on his lips. Her nipples were small and pale pink, like her cheeks. He swallowed loudly and began licking her hardened peaks.  
  
The surge of primal recognition shocked her body into stillness. Being in his arms was one thing; lying sprawled underneath him was another. She was still somewhere lost in between reality and Draco's horrifying nightmares, but when the cool air in the elevator hit her bare chest, she realized Draco's full grown muscular torso above her. Then the sensation in her breasts made her moan. His leg rode in between hers and she clasped onto it, rising up to meet him.  
  
Hermione gasped loudly when he replaced his lean, muscular leg when with his fingers. He moved over the thin folds of her shorts and pulled them down with one hand. Draco didn't stop kissing her as he slipped one finger into her. She grasped his arm with one hand and slowly jerked against the entrance of his second finger. Her orgasm wracked her body entirely for he had barely even touched her yet. He could feel her sweet smelling juice cover his fingers. Draco licked it off slowly, savoring the taste of her.  
  
"Ta-take me now, Draco," Hermione begged, her voice guttural and hoarse.  
  
Draco could barely contain himself at this request and peeled off the pants that had matted to him from all their sweat. She was trembling as he towered over her small form. He was much larger then she imagined. As he entered her, it was slow and with small thrusts. She dug her nails into his back and called his name over and over in between breaths. She rocked her hips back and forth to adjust to his large erection.  
  
Only when he was completely inside her did he know what real sex could be. When he was been with other women he could control himself and go for hours. Hermione on the other hand had him clutching the back of her head and pumping into her hard and with desperation to cling onto the hot, exploding pleasure that possessed all of his nerve endings.  
  
Stars seemed to explode behind Hermione's eyes as her body buckled to the unyielding desire. Draco was thrusting harder and harder, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She was glad because if he hadn't silenced her, everyone in Holly Horris's would have heard Hermione Granger's orgasm. Her lover came into her just as soon as she had reached her climax and collapsed on her chest.  
  
The next few minutes were so quiet. The only thing that could be heard was the sounds of two people trying to catch their breaths.  
  
"Why are you here?" Hermione whispered, turning her head away from him. She sounded sad. He lifted himself off of her and pulled his Slytherin robes over her, staring down at her with a glint in his eyes.  
  
"I always wondered what you would look like in green," he smirked. Hermione immediately giggled and turned to him, a sort of don't-start-with- me-Malfoy look that she used to give him.  
  
"Well, I always wondered why you were such a git," she laughed.  
  
Trying not to be too sad he said, "Well, now you know."  
  
She looked a little taken back. "I didn't mean it that way, you know."  
  
"I hated watching you with that Weasley. If it would have been any other day I would have called you a Mudblood and was over it. I just can't stand the thought of seeing you with any other man. I don't know what has come over me. Yet, what can I say? My mother married me off to Pansy Parkinson."  
  
Hermione sat there, too shocked to speak. "Pansy.Marriage?"  
  
"I've lost my wand, my fortune and nearly my name. I have nothing but you. I have nothing to offer you, except for a one way ticket to hell. If I just left everything my mother would find us and most likely kill you.I don't care what she does to me. You are all I'm worried about. I haven't had enough to think of a good solid plan. I just left on my broom to see you tonight."  
  
Hermione looked totally bewildered at all the news flooding on top of her. She had just gotten with Ron, trying so hard to forget about this gorgeous man then she makes love to him and he tells her all this. She wanted to scream and hate him again. She didn't want to be selfish but why would he come to her and make her feel so wonderful.then let her down with such news.  
  
Draco sat up against the elevator and hung his head. "I'm sorry for all those years of misery I caused, and I'm sorry for making you rush into a relationship with that red head. I'm sorry for putting you where you are now. If I had never let my attraction to you come out it would all be ok. Just tell me to leave you alone now and if that's what you want I will never bother you again."  
  
She only flung herself into her arms and sobbed uncontrollably. "I love you, Draco Malfoy. If you wouldn't have shown your feelings to me, I would've still wanted you. I.I can wait."  
  
At that moment the elevator jerked and began in descend. The pale blond man pulled on his pants and took Hermione's tee-shirt and pulled it on. "Keep the robes, so you can remember me and tonight."  
  
She blushed deeply. "I couldn't forget this for all the Galleons in the world."  
  
He laughed and kissed her forehead. The elevator doors swung open and a short, freckly boy stood there staring at a woman wearing only a child's sized robe and a messy, scratched up man.  
  
"Excuse me," Draco said politely, trying to conceal a smirk. Turning to Hermione, he kissed her deeply with his tongue and whispered something in her ear that made her step back, wide eyed. He turned back to the boy and bowed. He walked out of the elevator without looking back, though it took a lot of concentration not to do so.  
  
**  
  
The sun had risen when Hermione got back to her room. Ron was still snoring like a baby. She slipped into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her lips were nearly bruised by all the kisses he had given her. She could smell his sex all over her skin.  
  
Hermione rubbed her belly with intense interest as she climbed into the shower, smiling in spite of everything.  
  
**  
  
Ok, sorry it took so long, my summer is over and I have to be looking for jobs now =( boo. Ok, after this is when it will get really good ^.^ I'm excited. It might be a couple more days until I update again because I have a lot to do, but everyone's reviews really inspired me to spend my whole morning writing up a storm =) thank you all so much! I hope you enjoyed this Chappy. - RatWitch 


	11. The Beginning of the End

The sun had just begun to rise as he mounted the Nimbus 2001. The morning chill went directly to his bones and made his teeth chatter. Shorts and a tee-shirt were not what a regular wizard would wear, especially this early, and he suspected he would grab attention if he hadn't got out of there quick. The wound on his arm was also hurting worse then the first time and was gushing blood every few minutes, regardless of the hotel towels he had tied around it.  
  
None of that worried him as much as leaving her. He hadn't wanted to leave Hermione for anything. She was gorgeous with her long bushy hair hanging wildly about her slim body. He could still taste her on his lips. Just the thought of her got him excited and he wanted to run back up to the hotel, knock out the ridiculous Weasley boy and make love to her slowly and with all the time in the world.  
  
A twig snapped somewhere near Draco. He turned his head quickly around and it was only a grounds keeper, though he was looking at the blond haired man with question in his eyes. Draco only waved and did a small push- off from the ground, hovered for a second then rose high into the air, to the back of Holly Horris's. He did a couple loop-dee-loops, being the show- off he always was, then headed back to Malfoy Manor.  
  
The ride was extremely cold as he neared his house. He had to ride high so no Muggle could spot him when he came over London. On top of the clouds, all the London lights looked like tiny stars glistening below him instead of above. The view was nice but the gusts of air were so cold, his fingers felt glued to the broomstick. It didn't seem so long to get to Holly Horris's before. The only thing that was making him bear the long cold ride was the heat he could remember of Hermione's body next to his. He could've stared at the sweat glistening across her perfect chest for centuries and listened to her heart beat, with its soft thumps, for even longer then life would allow him.  
  
When Draco had made love to her he didn't think of his mother, Pansy or even his father. He forgot he was even a Malfoy. All he could think about was how he wanted to hold her and never leave her.  
  
That Weasley though, he couldn't bear the thought of her leaving him to crawl back in bed with that idiot red head. He didn't even have enough money to get a promise ring, let alone take care of a woman. Yet, now, neither did Draco. He had always teased Ron about being poor and now he was in the same shoes with him, though he hated to think of it that way. Lucius was always especially disgusted by the Weasley family for not just their lack of money but of their keen interest in Muggles. Being young and impressionable, Draco hadn't taken one thought to even trying to like any of the Weasley's. Ron was always getting in the way anyhow, especially now.  
  
Looking at the situation, nearly everything seemed to be in the way. It almost seemed impossible but to Draco it made him even more excited about taking the challenge. He could be beat down to completely nothing, but knowing that Hermione was still in love him made him get back up and keep trying.  
  
Malfoy Manor rose through the clouds. Draco's thoughts drained out of his head when he hovered closer to his window that was emitting light into the dark night. Being with Hermione had almost made all of the terrible things that happened to him be forgotten. It couldn't be forgotten now. He was happier flying in the dead cold of night then being near this place.  
  
One of the doors to the young Malfoy's room was swinging open and making quite a racket. It seemed like a foreboding doom was waiting for him. The emerald green curtains brushed against his face as he landed on the outstretched balcony. Draco expected hands to reach out from the fluttering fabric and grab him but they only continued their soft flapping melody into the wind.  
  
He brushed the curtains aside and closed to the balcony door silently. Everything seemed the same as he had left it, save for the small burning candle on his night stand. The trunk that had all of his Hogwarts memories in it was still open, with the contents messily scattered on the floor. His bed was still unmade and the pillows wrinkled. It might have calmed him, but as a Malfoy he was used to having servants clean his room nearly every time he left it. When he was young he would completely wreck his room just to come back in fifteen minutes and everything is tidy without a hint of someone being there. The room being messy had meant his mother forbid the house elves in his room. Her doing that meant she had something planned for him.  
  
As if his mind was connected with hers, a gentle rap tapped on his bedroom door.  
  
"No company tonight, thanks," he called across the room, sounding as polite as he could muster. He wanted her to go away.  
  
"Don't be an old fool, Draco," his mother cooed. "Let your mother in like a gentleman. I have much news for you, my son."  
  
"Your news can never be good, woman. Now, leave me be."  
  
The lock clicked loudly and Narcissa strolled in, wearing a gown of pure silver silk that nearly hung off of her bony body. Her hair was up tight to her skull with a silver dragon clasp with blood red rubies for eyes. Not one hair was out of place.  
  
"Sit down," she commanded, pointing to the bed with a long skinny finger. He humored her and walked slowly to the bed, resting his shoulder on one of the bed posts.  
  
"I said sit!" she snapped, her nostrils flaring. She was losing her temper so early in their meeting. His runaway scheme had definitely flustered her feathers and inside Draco smiled. He also sat down.  
  
"I'm not asking you what happened. I received an owl not only thirty minutes ago from Holly Horris herself. One of her early morning bellhops seemed to have run into your little." she sneered, looking for a decent way to put it, ".romantic rendezvous with the Muggle girl. He was quite confused because he believed the Malfoy's had checked out already and aside from that, young Master Malfoy had slapped that particular Muggle on the date we happened to check out." She stopped and smiled as if something had pleased her. "But what's so funny, my only son, is the same staff member seen her kissing that Weasley child the same day you must have left to see her. Now," she began to laugh uncontrollably, "if I'm not mistaken you've went back on everything you've ever known for this one unattractive, drab girl only to have her give herself to two men, one being your most hated enemy, in the same night." Narcissa's howls of laughter reverberated off the chilled walls and seemed to make it even colder.  
  
Draco muttered something under his breath and she stopped in mid cackle. "Be a man and speak loudly or don't speak at all!"  
  
"My worst enemy is you and no other," he said, looking at her with contempt.  
  
Narcissa only giggled again and pressed herself against her son's chest. "Oh, my handsome boy, you have no idea who your enemies are. Your thoughts have never been your own. You are only a recreation of Lucius gone terribly wrong. He tried so hard to make you into a perfect model of him, though he insisted the reason you had gone so bad is being of my rotten blood inside of you. Lucius knew from the day you were born you would be a complete failure to him but for some reason insisted on trying anyway. Oh, how I wish he was here now to see how dreadful he did but as I said before, there's always the weak one in every bloodline."  
  
He pushed her away and stood up, knocking his wounded forearm against the bedpost. He cried out and clutched it. He had totally forgotten about it; the cold had nearly numbed it on the ride back.  
  
"Ah, your love wound, I thought it would be nearly healed." but Narcissa trailed off, staring at the wound that return for the third time and was dripping quickly onto the floor. "Draco--you didn't.you couldn't have done such a thing." She stopped and swallowed, collecting her thoughts. "I should've figured as much. The first born child of Malfoy blood is the one chosen to succeed his father. Giving your blood to her may allow her in the house, but she will never be welcome! You are a complete fool! EVEN IF SHE WERE A PUREBLOOD I WOULD NEVER ALLOW THAT WHORE HERE!"  
  
Draco's fear mixed with rage exploded inside of him. "I AM the first born son! I WILL succeed my father! You can do whatever you like to me but I know who I am and I know what you've become. Hermione will be my wife and I will rid myself of Parkinson and this place will be mine. It's only a matter of time, Narcissa.I think you can feel that as plainly as I can."  
  
Her skeletal frame was shaking with madness. Narcissa closed her eyes and perched her lips together to form and tight white line on her wrinkleless face. "You think this house, let alone I, would allow her to step one foot in here. SHE'S A MUDBLOOD! The house would swallow her alive and cause her to go insane, if I don't do it first. Even if your blood courses through her dirty veins, it doesn't cover up her Muggle heritage."  
  
The candle that had been lit for Draco's homecoming was beginning to flicker at the end of its wick. The orange flames licked at the table now, trying to find something to bring its fire back to life. The light dimmed across Narcissa's face, where Draco couldn't see the look of recognition in her eyes.  
  
"Sit down, Draco," she ushered him to the bed again. "Oh look at you, in that tee shirt and shorts. You almost look like a Muggle if you didn't have your father's distinctive white hair. You know, I should give you some credit. You probably didn't even have to think it out did you? So very smart, is my only son. You know when I met Lucius at Hogwarts he was the same as you, a little rebellious but, oh, how handsome and cocky he was. I had to have him, not only him but his name.to cover up what I am." Narcissa paused to make sure Draco was listening. "I told him I was a pureblood though I knew, my mother was a Muggle. At the time I thought he believed me but he didn't. He just wanted to use me, like he did so many other girls there.  
  
"It was our 7th year, and I seduced him with a potion. That night we created the biggest mistake of our lives-you! He threatened to kill me but I knew he didn't have the guts to destroy two lives, one of which was half his. I threatened to expose his child to everyone as a half-breed if he didn't agree to marry me. From then on, our hate blossomed for each other. The rest, Draco, is now history since he is dead and the half-blooded wife still remains."  
  
Draco, who had been tired from the ride before, was now exhausted and beat from her story. So he wasn't even a pureblood to begin with? Narcissa not only looked proud of herself but she looked at him as if he owed her something.  
  
She stood up and brushed the wrinkles from her gown. Draco mechanically crawled into bed and pressed his face into the pillows, forcing out the urge to scream.  
  
"Sleep now, young boy, and soon I will wake you with a surprise," she said before she closed the door. Draco hadn't been listening as he had feel asleep well before she had even locked the door again.  
  
**  
  
Sorry this one isn't as long as the others but I told you it's going to get better and it will! ^.^ Thanks for all the reviews!! If my all time consuming new game .hack//Infection gives me time to write, I should have the next chapter done Monday (it's Sat.). R&R pleeease! 


	12. Abduction

She had felt odd for the rest of the ongoing week. After coming back from the elevator, she had stood under the hot, stinging shower spray, humming to herself in a way that surprised even her. She was so happy in her own little wonderland that consisted of nothing but Draco Malfoy--yet, as soon as she stepped out of the shower, she was reminded that she Ron in the other room, still fast asleep and her heart plummeted to the bottom of her stomach.  
  
The following week was slow and nerve wracking for Hermione. Ron always insisted on giving her little kisses when people weren't looking. They were warm and sweet kisses and she was sure any woman would be damned lucky to have such a gentle man like Ron-but she didn't want gentle anymore. She wanted Draco. Her hands fell to her stomach again and she closed her eyes tightly together.  
  
Draco's words had stunned her in the very beginning but pleased her more and more with every ongoing second. The whispers gave her goose bumps and caused desire in every nerve. "Another great dragon will be born." The words echoed off her brain. Had he meant what she thought he meant. She kept messaging her stomach with the tips of her fingers. She hoped so.  
  
"Hermione, snap out of it," called Harry, waving his hand in front of her eyes. He had a look of concern drawn on his face. "Is your stomach hurting you? Maybe you should go get something for it before we leave."  
  
"No, Harry, I'm ok. I'm just a little eager to go home I guess. I'm really homesick," she lied. Ron had insisted she just go straight to the Burrow with them but she made up a lie about her mother needing her for a few days. He had raised his eyebrows at her as if he didn't believe her. Hermione felt terrible, her guilt eating quickly at her heart every time Ron was so kind to her. She wanted him to argue with her like before. Instead he greeted her with loving kisses and hugs.  
  
"How can you be homesick, when we used to spend so long away from home at Hogwarts?"  
  
Hermione's face turned the color of a radish. "That's different."  
  
Harry shrugged. "I don't see how." He picked up his few bags and turned his back to her. "You know, you can't lie to me. When you feel like telling me what's up it will make you feel much better."  
  
Hermione raised her hand to the hollow of her throat and nearly screamed, "I'M IN LOVE WITH DRACO MALFOY AND HE LOVES ME!" but she only sighed deeply as he walked away. Harry wouldn't understand and Ron would probably have a heart attack. Well, maybe not a heart attack but Hermione was sure he would never talk to her again. After her things were packed and placed on the Dolly, Hermione hugged Egoise and made for the exit to the bus terminals.  
  
She pushed her dolly to the back of the bright green bus with the flashing lights that screamed "PLEASE COME BACK TO HOLLY HORRIS'S SOON!" Just as when she arrived to the hotel, she was once again struggling to lift her ten-ton suitcases into the back of the bus. Her toothpick like arms shuttered with the weight of it all and the suitcases fumbled to the ground. "Oh, what a day this will be," she muttered. If only Draco was here, with that dazzling smirk, to help her with her luggage like before.  
  
"Need help, milady?" Ron drawled in her ear. Every time he spoke to her Hermione became nervous.  
  
"I-yes, please, they're so heavy."  
  
Ron seemed to have a little trouble when he got to the last suitcase and was huffing and puffing with his hands clasped to his knees. "Woman, what did you put in those bags? Bricks?" He was laughing in between breaths.  
  
"Ron."  
  
"Yeah, what's on your mind?" He could see the pain in her face. "Hermione, are you ok?"  
  
"Why do you like me?"  
  
He looked almost taken back. "But, Hermione, I've always liked you. Even when everyone else didn't notice the amazing qualities you have.I did." To her surprise his face didn't blush like he usually did in her presence. He looked so sincere. He wrapped his arm around her and inhaled the sweet fragrance of her hair. Hermione's body stiffened at his touch and her eyes darted back and forth, as if Draco had been watching her again. "I know it must be weird for you, but I've waited this long and all this has happened between us. I can wait longer if you still have some things to think over before we do anything drastic."  
  
Hermione was biting the inside of her cheeks to prevent her tears from gushing out like waterfalls. "Thank you, Ron. I suppose I will see you at the Burrow in a couple days then." She gave him a false smile but he only smiled back and gave her a peck on the cheek.  
  
"And by the way, Granger, being with you that one night was like a dream. Did it really happen?"  
  
Hermione looked down at the ground. "It was no dream, Ron."  
  
A huge grin was plastered on his face when she looked up. "Good, then I will remember it always," he said, turning to board the bus. Hermione hesitated was thinking to herself, 'I wish it were a dream. This whole trip, I just wish I could wake up from all of this.'  
  
The ride on the bus was a comfortable one. The interior was decorated in an assortment of greens and a little mix of purple. Instead of beds, there were couches of all kinds and beautiful coffee tables made of ice that was charmed to never melt so it keeps people's drinks cool. The ceiling was enchanted to look like a sunny day on the beach and even seagulls where sent wild in the bus, which didn't seem like a smart idea. The birds began attacking anyone who had food in their hands. The bus driving had to immobilize them after so many complaints.  
  
Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat in back drinking their chilled pumpkin juice and talking about the strangeness of knowing they wouldn't ever go back to Hogwarts again.  
  
"Do you think they'll let us come back and visit?" Harry asked.  
  
"Harry, you know very well they will," Hermione snapped, acting like her know-it-all self. "I mean how times have you vanquished Voldemort? (Ron shivered-he still wasn't comfort) "Oh, Ron, please! He's gone for good! Harry destroyed him for good, even Professor Dumbledore says so! So," she adjusted her comment to Harry, "since you DID save Hogwarts so many times, I don't see why they don't even make Harry Headmaster Potter before it's all over with."  
  
"Aren't you aware some of his followers are still out there? I don't see why one of them couldn't follow in the same steps he did!"  
  
"Yeah, followers like Draco Malfoy are still out there and should be put out of their misery," sneered Ron.  
  
Hermione's face drained of blood and she looked out the window, trying to no avoid the conversation suddenly. Behind her Harry's eyes widened with apprehension. He had never seen her step down so quickly from a debate.  
  
"Hermione-have you seen Malfoy." but he was cut short by the drivers announcement that they had reached London, where Hermione was to catch her wizards taxi back to her house.  
  
"Well, I'll see you in a few days," she said, sitting up quickly and knocking over her cup of pumpkin juice. She also fumbled with a purse and kissed Ron quickly on the cheek. They both waved at her sadly as she nearly sprinted to the front of the bus to get away from all the questions. "I can't keep this up!" she mumbled to herself. "The guilt is killing me."  
  
The bus station was almost nearly emptied of wizards and Muggles when Hermione managed to get her bags drug out of there. The streets were hardly driven on either. Everywhere was empty. Hermione got a cold chill and turned quickly around, only to stare at pair of blazing gray eyes.  
  
"Well, my dear, we meet again," the woman smirked. "Petrificus Totalus!!" she cried brandishing her wand towards Hermione. The unsuspecting girl crashed to the floor with on hand on her mouth, eyes wide in surprise.  
  
Pansy Parkinson stood above her with dark content in her eyes. "Draco is my husband; he doesn't need a worthless girl like you. You are a Mudblood, what would he want with you except to use you. I will make you lose your mind with the torture Narcissa and I have planned." 


	13. A Child's Fate

CH.13 - A Child's Fate  
  
The tiny drip-drop noise that that been constant since Hermione was in there beginning to stir her out of a mildly uncomfortable sleep. The room smelt of old cats and dirty laundry. The walls were dirty and soft moss clung to it. She was lying in a small bed and her feet dangled off the sides of it. It had obviously been meant for a six year old. Hermione had to hold her breath as long as she could, so as not to inhale the mustiness of the teddy bear comforter. It smelled liked it hadn't been cleaned in years, as did the rest of the house. When she tried to sit up, her head became heavy. She clutched her hair and drew her knees up to her forehead.  
  
In the corner was a tiny dresser with three small drawers colored a dull pink and blue like a child's room. There was a tiny stack of children's books on made-up Quiddich players that usually end in good morals or nursery rhymes about silly goblins or unicorns. Shelves outlined the entire blur wallpapered room. Dust covered all the titles on the books that rested on the shelves, though these books looked a little big for a young child.  
  
After Hermione's head had recovered from whatever spells they had put on her, she rose out of bed and only the itchy golden carpet. It was worn down and contained a lot of dark red and brown spots. There was one tiny window that she had to kneel down to look out, but her view was blocked by a gang of bars pressed so tightly together, that light barely passed though.  
  
Standing back up, she passed the dresser without even bothering it. She had a very good sense that this wasn't the time to play detective. A white, paint chipped door was slightly open with a dim light on. With soft, slow tip toes, Hermione crept up and pushed the door with her index finger slightly. It creaked loudly and she took a step back, nothing happened. She pushed it entirely open this time and with more bravery, peeped her head around.  
  
On a marble sink was a gray candle that had been burning for sometime, she could tell from the puddle of hardened wax on the floor. It seemed to form a snake figure in the cracks of the tile. This was obviously a very small adjoining bathroom. The shower was a bathtub as well and had a very cute picture of a fish swimming round and round the shower curtain.  
  
It seemed very pleasant with the walls charmed to imitate schools of fish and sharks gliding beautifully underwater in your own bathroom, yet Hermione's stomach began to lynch forward. She fell to her knees and moaned loudly, wrapping her trembling arms around her stomach. Crawling to the base of the pearl white toilet, she vomited continuously until there was nothing else for her to throw up from her stomach. Hermione's body fell limply against the bathtub and she sobbed with relent, howling about her stomach.  
  
"Shut up, you weak noisy child!" barked the old pale blonde woman, who had been standing over Hermione as her stomach wrenched. "Someone could hear you a wing away! I swear, the pain can't be that bad."  
  
Hermione wiped the white phylum from the corner and stuttered, still feeling the stabbing pains in her stomach, "Y-y-you're Mrs. Malfoy."  
  
"Well, aren't you such a smart one. Look, you stupid girl, I want you cleaned up at once," she putted Hermione up by one arm and pushed her roughly into the shower. Narcissa brushed her hands against her robes as if wiping the dirt she received from Hermione. Narcissa waved her wand and the hot scalding water immediately showered upon the gagging girl, who was still feeling sick. The pain all but disappeared when the water hit her. She began kicking and howling even louder then before trying to pull herself up out of the tub. Narcissa quickly overpowered her and began scrubbing her legs with what felt like an S.O.S pad.  
  
"I will get rid of all this disgusting Muggle smell, though I can tell it will take more then one of these baths to get you a step closer to being even a speck of dirt worth in this house."  
  
"Narcissa, I see she has woken up," purred a familiar voice.  
  
"Oh, Pansy, you are just in time. Let me hold her down while we undress her so we can help to purge that dirty blood in her."  
  
Pansy happily applied to the old woman's request and ripped the blouse and bra off with one quick swipe. The snotty girl sneered and grasped one of Hermione's breasts. "I don't see how Draco could be in interest with such a flat breasted whore." Hermione was too terrified to retort. Narcissa had one hell of a grip for as much as Hermione struggled; it just seemed to use all of her strength.  
  
Pansy turned off the water that half filled the tub and dipped the scrub pad in. The first slit against the middle of her stomach hadn't hurt as badly until after she had covered her entire body at least a dozen times, Hermione's skin was entirely tender and bleeding in places, especially her face. On her legs some of the skin was dangling and burning. Hermione's body seemed entirely on fire even though she wasn't dying or melting.  
  
After the water had become cold and Hermione's thoughts were disfigured from all the pain, she was pulled up and walked back into the child's play room. Pansy picked up a white granny night gown and pulled it over Hermione, pulling off some off the loose skin. She was very let down when the bushy haired girl only stared at the wall.  
  
"Well, look at you, just a tiny inch better. Well, it's time for the show. You know we Malfoy's have wonderful hospitality and Pansy and I have prepared a-performance if you will. Come, dear," Narcissa said with poison in her voice.  
  
Hermione took marching steps helped by both ladies as she went down the stairs, and down even more, it seemed to get colder and colder. That at least made her skin cooler. When they exited one door they were in an upper inside balcony that towered over a giant ballroom that had a stone snake in the middle looking down at the floor. There were also a few scurrying house elves heading to and fro.  
  
The walk seemed fast because time seemed to black out for Hermione. The exhaustion was breaking her down but, thankfully they stopped at a door that was made of the darkest wood she had seen. It had a large DM formed by snakes on the front of it.  
  
Narcissa knocked nonchalantly. Inside, there was a short fumble, a few shuffles, then a man appeared that looked nothing like the man she had expected. His hair had been grown out before but now it was scraggly and it looked like one big knot. His eyes were dull a totally gray. Draco-if she could call him that-he looked like death. His eyebrows hung so close to his eyes she was hardly aware that he was awake at all.  
  
"Yes, mother?" he asked in a robotic like voice, his eyes staring right through Hermione.  
  
"I have brought you a guest and tonight is the night I've been telling you about," she said with a small chuckle.  
  
Draco blinked a few times and the blue flecks appeared back in his irises. The sight of her killed him. "Hermoine, what has happened to you," he cried, falling to his knees and looking at her legs that were shaking and barely holding her up. She didn't say anything but was trying hard not to leap into his arms. It would hurt too terribly bad on her body.  
  
The raging Malfoy turned around quickly and was nose to nose with Narcissa. "WHAT-HAVE-YOU-DONE!" he roared with the anger that he'd had for Hermione at the beach. His breath blew her hair back.  
  
"I have made her on her way to be cleansed. Perhaps we can keep her and make her insane. How much fun this will be," she laughed, now ever closer to his face, pulling her wand from her scarlet robes. "The fun has just begun after all." She drew her wand, aiming it at Hermione. "I will kill her if you do not. He automatically froze and stood, still staring at her. "Lay down on the bed," she ordered and he did so, lying as flat as a board. His eyes had grown drably gray again.  
  
Hermione, thought her body still burning especially since her wounds were hardening, stepped forward and fell to the ground, her nerve ending flamed in agony. Pansy stepped next to her. "I would enjoy to kill you here a now, Miss Goody-Goody, but for now I'll settle for some thing worse." She turned around and snapped her hip to one side, walking snidely away.  
  
"I shall watch for any dirty business. Pansy, you may continue," Narcissa called to her. The room was uncomfortably silent and all the candles had gone out. Pansy was walking slowly around the room but Hermione could still hear her light footsteps. Then she heard the sounds of cloth shuffling-then the bed squeaked.  
  
One scarlet candle lit on the shelf next to the sled bed. Pansy was lying, completely naked, one leg draped over his thighs. Her blonde curly hair was spread around her chest, hardly covering her dark, jutting nipples. She was gyrating her hips against Draco's leg, who was staring at Hermione with tears in his eyes.  
  
"Remember, son, I know the death curse just as well as any of the other death eaters. I will take such pleasure in killing her if you do not do what your wife asks," Narcissa said matter-of-factly.  
  
"DRACO," Hermione screamed as Pansy undid his trousers. He pulled one hand up to stop her but Narcissa raised her wand at Hermione and he dropped it. She wanted to stand up to tackle Pansy and strangle her, but her body felt so stiff from all the bleeding wounds. She laid flat on her stomach and gagged from sobbing so much.  
  
She could hear the pants being tossed to the side and she lifted her head to see Draco's rolled back in erotic pleasure. Pansy mounted him and threw back her head, crying out loudly, and then looking at Hermione. She locked eyes with Hermione and rocked back and forth on him, making him moan loudly.  
  
"You see Hermione, the first born child of the Malfoy's after the father is an important one. They become the leader of the household, since Lucius is dead and it has been addressed that Draco is no long a wizard, that child will be the inherent of the manor."  
  
Hermione screamed louder then both of them and pulled herself an inch with one burnt arm. The pain wasn't anything compared to watching Pansy take advantage of her one true love-and seeing her love enjoy her rivals pleasure. Another arm forward and another inch. Hermione had to make it to them. She didn't know what she would do in the state that she was in. She didn't care what pain she had to endure.  
  
"Lucius made it perfectly clear he did not want me to run the house, so when the child is born I will make it in the way Lucius failed to make Draco. It will be more than a Dark Lord-and even Dumbledore. In a way, I will run this place the way I wish through a small impressionable kid," she sneered at Draco, tears streaking down his face as he tried to ignore the bucking woman on top of him.  
  
Pansy began to ride him fast, biting her fingers and bouncing her breasts in Draco's face. He was insane with anger. He wanted to kill this bitch. He clutched her buttocks and pushing her on his member even harder. She screamed in pain this time. He pulled her onto him harder and faster every time and she began to scream for him to stop. She trying to pull off of him but that made him even more raving and rolled her over. He slammed into her and she sobbed, begging him to stop. Hermione could no longer watch.  
  
At that moment they had waited for Draco to release himself in the trembling blonde and instantly stood up, heading for the shower. He didn't even look at Hermione. As soon as the bathroom door closed Narcissa strolled in, smiling, as if nothing had happened. She looked down at the wide-legged Pansy, shaking her head. "You are a foolish girl if you think I will make every day good for you. You didn't think you would actually have a good time with my son did you? How could he like something so disgusting looking? Close your legs, you look filthy." She turned to Hermione and smiled happily again. "Are you ready to go to your room?"  
  
Her room, as she observed was in the highest place in the house, and the most hidden as they had to go though many rooms just to get to hers, even a closet. In front off Hermione's door Narcissa put her arm out and scowled at her.  
  
"I know your secrets," she cooed, pushing her hand roughly against Hermione's stomach. "I will keep you here and continue to harm you, but not that child. Once the child is born, then your cleansing will be finished. You will be what I make you. Oh, and if you expect your friends to try and save you, I can assure you-I will be waiting."  
  
**  
  
*sobs* oh how I hate to put Draco through such torture but to all the lovely reviewers.yes Hermione is pregnant ^_^ which is a good thing? I don't know *Draco smirk* but I will have another chap out soon!!! Please R&R - It's very inspiring!!! 


	14. Midnight Discussions

Several hours after Hermione's legs stopped shaking, she stood up from where Narcissa had flung her. The head rushes she got from standing made her sway against the unsteady child's bed. Her stomach was boiling with pain but she curled up on the moth-eaten bed and chewed her nails, talking softly to herself.  
  
"Hermione," a deep voice whispered. Draco stood in the doorway looking at her with droopy eyes. He was covered in a soft, wooly robe that was rocking against his feet back and forth on the cold floor. Draco Malfoy was at a loss of words. All he could do was stare at the woman that not only a week ago had seemed like a strong full grown woman, yet was cowering under him like a wounded child. He had caused this.  
  
He reached forward to touch her shoulder but she jerked sharply and wrapped her arms around her stomach, as if protecting what was hers.  
  
"Please, don't," he choked, sitting beside her and resting his head on her hip. "I've never had anyone want to listen to me before," he sighed, "and I really mean listen. I've always hated you and your goody-goody friends. I hated Ron because even though he was poor he was still so happy and up beat. Well, I hated you obviously because you were so smart but-I hated Potter most of all because he didn't have any parents. I was jealous because he had lost his parents and I hadn't. There were other things too, like him being a better seeker, a Gryffindor, and wizard all around, but his lack of parentage was what sparked my jealousy.  
  
"The years passed, and the more they passed, the more my parents survived to hover over my shoulder, watching for signs of a mistake. They were waiting for signs of their suspicions. I never knew why they expected me to be a failure, but as pride often can do, I wouldn't let them get what they wanted. I always tried to get the top in class, have all the attention of Hogwarts, be a top notch Quiddich player-I had to strive to be even better then what they expected, though even in my older years I didn't know why. I was a Malfoy, why would they doubt my abilities to be a great pureblooded wizard?"  
  
Hermione had loosened her muscles enough for Draco to mold them both into the spooning position. He ran his arm across her middle torso and she shuddered for a mere moment and relaxed again. "My life wasn't all bad. When I was sixteen my father was finally killed, and I was triumphant. Yet, when it came down to it, there was a guilty feeling lingering in my chest. I was free to be who I was, not who he wanted me to be. I didn't really think of my mother, because my father was always the persistent one. Narcissa hid in the shadows, being the wife Lucius wanted. I knew she thought of me as a failure too, but she didn't have to tell me with words. Her eyes always pierced through my heart."  
  
"After his death, though my binds were cut, new ones was put on me. We weren't the rich family we once were with father being fired from the Ministry and the contributions he made to Lord Voldemort. We were nearly dirt poor. I hadn't even finished school, let alone had a name anyone would want to hire.  
  
"Then, among all my problems, you-the girl who had always been that filthy little Mudblood-had to stumble into me at mid thought and say in the kindest words I've ever heard anyone say, you apologized. Even when you noticed it was me, I could have sworn you still were sorry. Yet, I wasn't ready to be nice to you-even with Lucius gone. Hermione you were so beautiful though. It was if I was seeing you for the first time. You still had your bushy hair and the funny way you move your eyebrows when you mad," he laughed soft, in remembrance.  
  
"The next day I was hoping I could avoid you, but there you sat-in your frumpy robes that made you look like an old maid, arguing like you used to with me to that cute little maid. I couldn't resist firing you up even more, but when I did you only stared at me with this mad lust in your eyes that I couldn't shake. When I was trying to concentrate on anything, I just saw your eyes looking back at me. Then you kissed that Longbottom idiot and I realized then, you couldn't be with anyone but be. Your bloodline didn't mean an ounce to me."  
  
"I think Narcissa knew right away. She had her suspciousions for so many years, she was ready for this and told me.," he paused as if the words would come out in a disgusting vomit form, "I was a mere half blood, like her."  
  
The silence was deeply stinging to Draco. Hermione breathed deeply twice and spoke in a splintered voice," I-I--," she smiled earnestly and put one hand in his hair, "I like it when you hair is messy."  
  
Draco hung his head and laughed. "You are something else, Hermione Granger. I don't know what I'm going to do but as soon as I find a place away from here I will do it-but with her eyes everywhere in the manor I don't know when I can come up to see you. If I do things foolishly, she will kill you. I have no doubts."  
  
"He needs a name," she said dreamily.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Our son," she purred, massaging her skinny stomach once again.  
  
"Our.?" His eyes widened with apprehension. "How do you know?"  
  
"I can feel him speaking to me," she whispered, still rubbing. Her voice seemed prophetic. "I can hear him speaking to me about the creation we have made."  
  
Though it was good news, the way she spoke it sent shivers down his spine. "So we're going to have a child? Yes," he said thoughtfully, "I have to get us out of here."  
  
"Draco.did you enjoy Pansy?" she asked timidly.  
  
Draco roared and stood up. "HOW DARE YOU ASK ME IF I ENJOYED THAT SLUT! NO I DID NOT! DO YOU NOT REALIZE WHAT SHE IS PLANNING FOR YOU-FOR US?"  
  
Hermione was taken back by his outburst though he did have good reason. He stood there, looking at her shaking figure, his chest heaving in and out. "I would never enjoy that slut-don't-you-ever-say-anything-like-that-again! My mother wants an heir. She knows I would never touch the likes of Pansy- you're the only one I care about and she knows my breaking point would be killing the only one who believes in me, therefore forcing me to get Pansy pregnant so Narcissa can have an heir to manipulate. I think she plans to kill our child when it is born."  
  
His words sunk like poison in her scabby skin from the bath earlier. "Draco."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Will you always love me?" she asked casting her eyes down.  
  
He turned her around and cupped her chin in his hand, looking directly into her eyes. "I know now who I am.and I know with full confidence that I love you, Hermione."  
  
His hot, moist breathing felt good on her chapped lips. He bent down and brushed a small, wet kiss across her mouth and she wrapped her arms around him. Her breathing had rapidly increased.  
  
"Then-you will get us and our child out of here?"  
  
"I will-or die trying," he smiled weakly, "besides, your friends Potter and Weasley could come and play hero like always. I won't let anyone harm you."  
  
Hermione stretched out on the small bed and yawned loudly. "This was my room at one time," Draco said, lost in thought. "I always wanted the highest part of the manor and the most secluded. I've always been most interested in just flying. That barred window was once the one I would fly out of at night. One night I thought I was angry-at what I don't know anymore-but I was enraged at the point that flying was the last thing I was thinking of when I ran out of the window without my broom. I could remember the emptiness and freedom I felt in those few seconds before I hit the water below." He smiled and looked happier then in the elevator. "Being with you is like falling in the free sky forever without the aid of a broom. That's how I knew you were for me."  
  
Tears were sliding down her face. "The window is barred."  
  
"I lost the desire to fly after that.well until I was on the Slytherin Quiddich team. I wanted the window barred and the room locked away. I don't know why I was so brattish about it then. Only now is when I see how much pain I caused."  
  
Before he opened the door to leave Hermione called, "When will you come back?"  
  
"As often as possible. Let's hope someone finds out about Narcissa before she does something seriously drastic."  
  
"Drastic.yeah.seriously," she muttered, her eyes opening and closing slowly.  
  
His smiled quickly turned to a frown as he closed the door. He knew he would not be seeing Hermione again for sometime..  
  
**  
  
Well, I hope my story is living up to everyone's standards.I haven't got many reviews lately, but I hope you're all still reading ^_^ I'm working hard to finish it!! I made this chapter just kinda an interlude though I called it a chapter. I wanted to slow things down a bit and get a little of Draco's feelings 'spilled out on the table' if you will. R&R!!! 


	15. A Mouse in the Manor

CH. 15 - A Mouse in the Manor  
  
Every night for a week had seemed the same. Narcissa was persistent on bringing an heir onto the grounds of the mansion-but Pansy showed no signs of bringing the mistress's dreams to life. After a few days, not even the threat of Hermione's life seemed to make Draco able to be aroused enough to perform and began feeding him a potion that, though gave him the will to make love, drained him of his mind. By the end of the week, his words no longer made sense.  
  
Hermione's hopes of holding on to her sanity were dwindling. She had looked into his eyes just this night and could see nothing there. He looked right through her and rolled over. Oh, despite her failures, had Narcissa ever laughed. Her laughter was not the only thing ringing in the walls. Pansy had also been being punished; her screams were like mega-phoned death rattles along the cold walls. Hermione had silently called out to Pansy for help with her eyes, now desperate to find some ally that could understand- but Pansy seemed to fear doing anything but the job at hand.  
  
After the ritualistic ceremony Narcissa led her into the room which mazed around the entire mansion. "I grow so tired of leading you around like the dog you are," she would chant over and over, while leading her to her small quarters, "but who else can trust a Mudblood? You would certainly overpower one of the house elves, and Pansy is so weak, I'm sure you could at least talk her into letting you free. I'm sure she wants out of this as well. You all do but it will be over soon. Not as soon as you and I would like-but soon." She always seemed to want to say more but as soon as the thought would begin to roll off of her tongue she began to mutter, "Like some bloody dog that just comes around--like a bitch in heat-jarring plans-like having a mutt around."  
  
As mistress of such a house, when she told the door that no one was allowed out, as Hermione found out, NO ONE got out which left her to explore the room in extreme detail, when she wasn't puking her crackers and soda water up every hour. She had found many useful things to keep up her time like wizard coloring books.  
  
She had trouble with it at first but she began shouting colors at the pages full of animated dragons and wizards. It wasn't noticeable at first until she punched the book hard out of frustration. Her pointer finger had become red. She bellowed green and her index finger went the shade of summer trees. It was hard to get used to using her fingers for coloring crayons but as she figured out she could use her pinky for the trickier edges. If she closed the book her hand was back to normal.  
  
Young Draco had covered half the pages already in bright green streaks. Hermione tried desperately to touch up the one of the little girl petting the head of an old but large dragon. She made the dragons hair a nice mix of gray and blonde and his scales were the different shades of the rainbow because Hermione was having fun mixing colors around. The girl had a dirty blonde haired mop of curls on her head and silver robes. The few flaws were Draco's green messy scrawls but Hermione insisted to herself they added flair.  
  
A few other pictures hung on the wall, one of which was an obviously older Draco drawing it. It was a self portrait of him though his features were slightly disfigured, and he was obviously only like nine or ten. Yet, he looked so sad and Hermione knew that's all he had ever known in his life. Sorrow haunted every part of him.  
  
She slowly peeled it off the wall and dropped it instantly. There was a small switch inside of a hole small enough for a finger to fit in. What's this? Why had Draco failed to tell her about this? Could it hurt her?  
  
She nearly laughed. What did it matter if she was hurt or not? She wasn't in a situation she was getting out anytime soon. She slipped her finger inside the cubby and flicked the switch. A small portion of the wall somehow fizzled into tiny particles and dissolved into the air. Instead of hardened walls was a small crawl space amid the bricks that had taken the place of the wall paper. She kneeled down and put her arm in the room, feeling nothing in her way.  
  
"This is just like some creepy haunted house. Wait, this IS some creepy haunted house," she groaned. It had surprised her to hear her own voice. Talking to herself wasn't something she had been doing as of late.  
  
Though her hips had a little wiggling to do, she pulled herself into the small hallway that was only a shoulder length wide. Hope lifted her heavy heart. It was dark, damp and particularly spooky-but it was out of that room and one step closer to getting out. She just hoped Narcissa didn't come in to find her gone.  
  
It was very scary to just feel cold stone walls on both sides of her shoulders but when she felt a sharp turn, she felt a little more secure that, if she'd made it this long, surely she'd been attacked by now. "Just feel around. Just feel around," she kept saying, skimming the stone with her fingertips. Her foot steps quickened and she began to pick up her pace. "Just feel around. Just fee-OUCH!" she yelped, smacking her nose into a wall with a deafening thud. It felt like Millicent Bulstrode's fist in her face. It felt like a dead end.  
  
"No! No! No!" she cried, clawing at the wall but it was no use. The stone would not move. She would have been cheerful sooner if she would have come out of her tantrum. She finally felt the wooden door under her almost ten minutes after falling over foolishly right on top of it.  
  
On a diet of crackers and soda water doesn't strengthen her and most of that food-she hoped-was going towards her child. This posed as a problem for her in lifting this gravity-heavy slab of old wood in the floor. It took nearly every ounce of strength and hope she had to lift it enough to prop it on her shoulder and push it forward.  
  
The smell that filled the cold hallway was intoxicating. It made her stomach clench in pleasure. It was like strawberries, and something spicy mixed in that Hermione couldn't place. There was also shimmering candles lit nearly everywhere, but the orange light was filtered through by a thick red blanket that was hovering below her.  
  
Smiling fearfully she sighed, "If this doesn't hold me-by Merlin, please let me land on something soft and safe." Hermione pinched her noise like she was jumping into a pool of water and did a frog-like leap into the hole in the floor.  
  
Made to hold a ten year old child, the blanket wasn't even going to carry Hermione's weight for a second and it broke it's clutches on the ceiling. She stared wide eyed at the whole in the ceiling that closed somehow and was disappearing before her eyes.  
  
She heard a soft laugh. It sounded like the voice was struggling to utter the smalls gasping laughs. She turned her head over and stared at the sick Draco Malfoy. His cheeks had become nothing but pale skin that clung to his once beautiful face. His arms and legs looked skinnier then before and his eyes.so dully gray.  
  
"Only.only angels fall from the sky," he whispered to her. Her chokes were enough to make him cringe. He looked like he didn't recognize her. Tears welled up in the pits of her eyes.  
  
She kissed him deeply with her tongue and held his frail body next to her. "You hair is so soft and your tongue is so smooth-like velvet," he cooed. "You must be an angel."  
  
"I am no angel," she scowled. "And my hair isn't soft."  
  
Soft hair was the last thing she thought of before she went to see what was in the secret corridor but now, looking at Draco whose hair was also unwashed and unkempt, felt embarrassed for the both of them.  
  
"Can you get off the bed?" She crawled over him and had a blanket lain out on floor. She knew what the answer was before he said it.  
  
"I haven't tried, milady," he said promptly.  
  
"Well, I'll roll you onto this blanket-oh don't look at me like that, I can do it-and I'll drag the blanket into the bathroom. We'll get clean."  
  
If she had been in that position two years ago she would have left Malfoy to lay on that bed while she flew away on his broomstick, as wobbly as she may be on one. Now, helping him seemed more important to her then her own life-and his child's. If Draco would have been fit and knew how foolishly romantic she was being at this moment, he would have screamed in face that she was a foolish Mudblood, and he hated her, just to get her to leave.  
  
"How will you get me into the bathtub?" he asked when she huffed loudly, trying to ease him onto the hard floor. His body acted like it would break when she shifted him.  
  
"Ugh, I haven't figured that out yet," she groaned, pulling the blanket inch by inch. "You sure you can't walk, Draco?"  
  
"Draco? Madam, I am sure these old hands can't even hold the blanket."  
  
She rolled her eyes at him. "You aren't old; you're only like eighteen and call me Hermione. When I get my hands on that bitch, I swear I'll have a row with her like you've never seen. If I could just get my wand, I-would-be--relentless!" She had to struggle the last sentence as she finally got him drug into the extremely large bathroom.  
  
At the sight of the tall, deep bathtub that looked more like a hot tub without jets, they concluded that Draco could just sit up very uncomfortably in the stand-up shower that way she only had to get him over the little iron guard at the bottom. His skin was an olive color but she still found him so beautiful when he looked at her. He didn't know a Mudblood from a Pureblood, there was no discrimination in his eyes, only childish wonder.  
  
Undressing him slowly, though as fragile as he was, was a very extraordinary time for her. Draco was so dominating when he made love to Hermione, and their clothes were discarded without one thought. She took all the time in the world at taking the long gown like pajamas over his head. He looked like the scrawny old Malfoy that she used to know in school. At Holly Horris's he had been made of muscle but it just all seemed to disappear into thin air. The potion she was feeding him was obviously feeding off his strength faster then at first.  
  
After he had been stripped, and she pulled off her own robes (that were much too large), she picked up Draco just enough to sit him against the wall of the shower. She faced him and said, "Water," with her eyes closed tightly. The spray was intensely cold but Draco was shielded by his magnificent angel and felt just small sprits.  
  
"Hermione," he said, looking at her thoughtfully.  
  
"What?" Her eyes were bright and hopeful. 'He remembers me!'  
  
"Where do you come from?"  
  
She sighed and moved over to sit cramped beside him and began to wipe across his chest with a wash cloth that had a cute little D on the corner. "I hail from Hogwarts," she smiled. "You went there you know."  
  
"Did I? Why can't I remember this?"  
  
"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand. I don't, that's for sure. Even with book smarts, who can really tell what a psycho is going to do?" She scrubbed under his arms and kept pushing her heavy wet hair from her eyes. "Well, I'll be damned if she takes me down-I'll have her head first!"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sure you remember that blonde woman-tall, skinny, and OLD. She always wears those really old dresses that look like she fed them to the moths first. She was here earlier this evening-if you don't remember. I don't see how you could forget! I mean-if someone made me screw Pansy, I wouldn't forget her loopy face."  
  
"Pansy? I don't know her. I only know you. Hermione, isn't it?"  
  
She scrubbed in between his toes fiercely and snapped, "YES! HER-MION- E! Damn it, I'm sorry," she sighed, washing his legs slowly now.  
  
"I'm sorry-you must be very angry with me. I cannot remember anything, though-sometimes in small spurts, I see a few things-small things like a girl fell from my ceiling once. I don't know if it's something I made up, or it really happened."  
  
Hermione dropped her hand in his lap and cried. "I thought-By Merlin, I don't know what I thought when I decided to love you. Maybe I just couldn't help it (sniff) I don't know. This is all like a bad nightmare. You won't even remember my name in a few minutes. Oh (sniff) I wish Ron and Harry were here. I should've (sniff) told them everything. You can't even remember how I got here. Why am I here?"  
  
"You would leave me here?" the sorrowful Draco asked.  
  
She looked him in the eyes. "I would."  
  
His eyes sparkled. "No.Hermione...I." but before he could muster another word Narcissa stood over them with flame licking her iris's.  
  
"YOU WOULD DARE TO DEFY ME IN YOUR CONDITION!" She screamed. Hermione looked at Draco but he looked even more vacant then before. "You would take advantage of my son when he doesn't even know your name. You are so disgusting!" Narcissa pulled her wand from the deep pockets of her purple robes and pointed it at Hermione's face. "Imperio!" she cried before Hermione could leap for her throat.  
  
Hermione stopped in mid jump and fell over against Narcissa who quickly pushed her away. The left side of her face smacked the linoleum with a sickening thud. "Stand up, you foolish girl. Yes, that's it; let the blood run down the side of your face. Doesn't it feel refreshing? Now stay there." She looked at Draco, who had fell over and was watching the bathroom cabinets without any acute interest. "Just a little zombie, and in this state you are more useful to me then ever. I think I will leave you here to," she chuckled, "think about her precious Mudblood. March, little Hermione--march to your prison." Narcissa flicked her wand forward and Hermione lifted one leg after the other out the door.  
  
The shower continued to pelt down onto Draco's fair skin. He blinked once---twice-thrice---.  
  
"Ohh," he groaned, lifting his own hand to his head. He could hear Hermione talking to him but the imperio curse held fast to him, but Narcissa had forgotten him in the excitement of his love being in the shower with him. She left him there. But, oh, how his body ached when he moved. He couldn't push himself up.  
  
"NO!" He began to cry in a killing desperation. He fell onto his stomach as slowly as possible and laid his head against the iron guard, pulling himself up though painfully, up and out of the shower. He cried out louder every time he clawed at the floor and pulled himself forward. His muscles had completely depleted and he was pulling on nothing at all. His arms were on fire with pain and his legs would soon join them.  
  
He wiggled there only a few moments until he felt a warm blanket wrapped around him. "Drink this," a soft voice whispered.  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"Because I won't be here much longer so listen-you don't need but a sip of it and you'll be ok for awhile-but don't drink it all at once or you'll probably die in your condition."  
  
"I don't need your help," he growled.  
  
Pansy laughed. "You are so terrible at lying, Draco. You look like a fish, wriggling there on the floor with your pale, bony ass in the air. Really, I don't know what that weird Muggle thinks is so attractive about you now but it must be your sweet personality." She laid the vile on the floor. "I'll be seeing you."  
  
She disappeared into the fireplace.  
  
Draco propped his chin on the floor and stared at the pink vile of what looked like jelly from the outside. Green worms were tunneling through the marsh of light red. "Looks like poison to me," he scowled and tried to push himself up again but his arm began enflamed and he growled like a bear. "DAMN YOU!" He cursed at nothing.  
  
The tiny cork came out easily and he put his tongue into the glass casing, lapping up a small amount as directed. He re-corked it and closed his eyes. Behind his lids, Hermione smiled at him in her cute little swimsuit, blowing him kisses. She tried to lay out her beach towel but it blew away with the wind and she stood there sadly looking at it catching the breeze.  
  
"I'll catch it for you," Draco whispered against the color flooring, feeling his strength come back to him. He didn't exactly get back his muscles by any means because his bones still protruded through his skin but he could stand. He swayed from side to side and had to catch himself more then once on the countertops but he eventually got the hang of it and stood up. He looked up at the ceiling where the blanket hung by one last rung.  
  
"There's a mouse in the manor," he whispered. Above his head the trapdoor not only appeared, but swung open. The doors always answer to the master of the house. He smiled.  
  
**  
  
I know I say this every time but I just wanted to say thanks to some of my reviewers.cause this would have NEVER gotten done if not for the daily emails I get ^-^ So thanks! porcelain-starfish you're email this afternoon helped a ton! A huge thanks to you! I didn't go any faster but I didn't eat until I was done hehe! Well I'm tired from lack of sleep and food.I hope you all enjoyed it and I'll start the new chap tonight hopefully! I hope it will be as long as this one!! XOXO, RattWitch 


	16. Enemies with a Common Mission

Ch. 16 - Enemies with a Common Mission  
  
The hallway was much smaller then it seemed when he was younger but he maneuvered around the one corner as if it was second nature. The smell had gotten muggier and Draco had to hold his breath while he knocked twice against the dead end wall.  
  
He didn't know what he actually expected to find, but an empty room with an insane amount of colored pages every where wasn't it. He tip toed around them, though many of them were getting crumbled already. "Wow, Hermione, looks fun," he chuckled to himself.  
  
He stopped though and his smile instantly faded from his face. On the bed, the coloring book was left open. It was stuck on the page where a young girl was taming an old dragon. Draco thought the colors were a bit bright but she looked Hermione so much. It also had her small, child-like signature on the bottom right corner. He ripped the picture from the coloring book quickly but carefully, folded it in a diamond shape and stuck it in his front pajama pocket, next to the disgusting pink jelly in the vile.  
  
He checked under the beds and in his old dresser drawers. There was nothing to suggest that Hermione had even been there, aside from the pages that were impressively colored with an even hand.  
  
He pushed some of the colorings aside and laid his back on the floor and scooted underneath the dresser. The bottom lifted up and he pulled a very old leathery bag full of Floo powder out. Narcissa had taken his broom many nights ago and he had no choice. He put the Floo powder in his pants pocket. He had never liked traveling by way of fireplace to fireplace, finding it much too dirty and dusty. His silvery hair was susceptible to all dirt, and he liked his appearance to be clean and overpowering.  
  
The mirror across the room suggested otherwise. His hair looked like bits of straw poking here and there. His face had even grown little patches of blond hairs on his face. Draco's stunning eyes were now sunk in. His body was ravaged by the potion, his mind ravaged from the Imperius curse, giving him a blank like stare though he was quite aware of the surroundings. His night wear hung off him and were wrinkled in every spot possible. To himself, Draco looked like the worst homeless man he had ever seen.  
  
Being the Old Draco he once was, he flopped on the bed feeling sorry for himself. If he would have left Hermione alone at the resort, wouldn't everything be better? If he had just let her be a Mudblood to him, she would be away from the manor and out of his life. She wasn't just a Mudblood though and he couldn't ignore that. When Draco wanted something so bad, he got it and he wanted her. Even now, knowing he's a half blood himself, he would keep his arrogant streak. He was still a Malfoy after all.  
  
"Malfoy.ha! Neon Green," he huffed, flipping through the pages of the coloring book and ripping out different ones after scrawling aimlessly on it for awhile. The time was growing thin and dawn began to break over the horizon. He could see a few rays of light through the single small window. He stood up and tucked in his shirt then stuffed the pages he had ripped out into his v-neck pajamas.  
  
Without looking back he shot through the passageway and dropped down onto the bed in a small cannonball. The bed bounced him back a few times and he landed flat on his feet. That potion Pansy had given him sure was helping. He quickly pulled out the papers out from his night shirt and pulled on a pair of his best robes and filled a bag with a few things like socks and knickers. He included Hermione's dragon picture and the vile.  
  
At last, when he was finally done and had made his own bed, he posted each of the papers on the walls in the order he had decided on. The pictures weren't particular. A few were even of witch family's riding their broomsticks but it wasn't the pictures that were supposed to catch the eye.  
  
Draco looked proudly at his art work then back at the bed that, even though a bit wrinkly, had been made by him for once. "Ok, then," he said, taking a deep breath. He was feeling like his old self, and right at that moment Draco knew they didn't like the old Draco and it would be a good thing to imagine all these people as Hermione, but he only laughed, for how could any of them look like his beloved Hermione? He stepped up into the fire place and bellowed, "The Burrow."  
  
**  
  
Narcissa hadn't returned to him until nearly dusk, but when she did she only stood there in remote silence. On his walls were yellow, faded pieces of paper that spelled out "I'LL COME BACK FOR HER," in bright green colors.  
  
She felt a hand on her shoulder. Pansy smiled at her with a glint in her eyes. "Oh, my dear mother-in-law isn't this like a fairy-tale?"  
  
Narcissa only scowled at her. "This is no fairy tale you stupid girl. This is a nightmare and it will only end when I have done what I aim to do."  
  
"It will happen-look at how everything is happening just as predicted. He took that potion as easily as you said he would. He was so desperate he didn't even argue. You are quite a lucky woman, Narcissa-isn't she, Mudblood?"  
  
Hermione was behind Pansy and she only nodded and stared at the floor. She was wearing one of the out of date dresses Narcissa had been wearing. "Oh Pansy get that girl out of here. I don't like her following us around where ever we go."  
  
Pansy laughed. "I like have a little dog as a pet. When will I ever have a person I can cast Imperius on again?"  
  
The mistress smiled a smile the even made Pansy a bit uneasy. "You could still be surprised, young girl."  
  
**  
  
The swirling had given Draco quite a stir since he hadn't been in one in what seemed like a ridiculously long time. To his surprise the Burrow had been empty to his eyes-but one other was in the house, and already aware he was there.  
  
Harry had heard a loud thump while he was reading and editing a fiction story that Ginny had been attempting to write, though his mind kept straying to Hermione who had been missing for over a week now. She wouldn't answer any of his owls. He dropped his pen at once and rushed out to see what the noise was. The Weasley's had left to St. Mungo's to get checked up on after they had all caught a cold at the same time after Ron had gotten back from Holly Horris's.  
  
He stood in horror as he seen Draco Malfoy, or what looked like a taller, skinnier, dirtier version of Draco Malfoy. He was brushing the ashes off of his robes which looked like the only clean thing he had left. He looked up and Harry pressed his back against the hallway wall quickly. He inched down the walkway and back into his and Ron's room. He pulled his wand out of his bag and took a deep breath. He had wanted to do this for ages.  
  
Draco was looking fondly at the thousands of framed pictures, all of various Weasley's, as if he were interested. "Stop there, Malfoy!" Harry bellowed, brandishing his wand.  
  
To Harry's surprise, Draco nearly jumped out of his skin. "Whoa, you scared me Potter," he breathed, putting his bony hand on his knee and clutching his heart. "Don't do that again. I'm unarmed. See?" He shook his pockets and flashed his open palms.  
  
"WHY SHOULDN'T I KILL YOU?" then something clicked with Harry. "Where is she, Malfoy, you slimy git! You tell me where she is, I know you know! You're a death eater and I bet you've heard something."  
  
"Well," Draco drawled, smirking at him, "if you were a bettin' man, you'd be rich."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry took a few steps closer to him and lowered his wand just a little but he was still ready for Malfoy to pull something out of his long sleeves.  
  
"It means, when you put down your wand and let me sit, I can tell you everything and we can get to business."  
  
Harry's lip curled. "I don't do business with a Malfoy and the last time I noticed I have some strength on you," he sneered.  
  
Draco edged closer and closer to the Weasley's dining table. He pulled up a chair with one hand out and his eyes locked on Harry. He sat down with a deep sigh. "Thank you for not stunning me. I don't think I can stand anymore abuse," he laughed.  
  
"I don't pity you one bit," Harry snapped with ice in his green eyes. "I just care about my best friend. Where is she? You said you knew."  
  
"She's at my manor."  
  
Harry faced flushed. "Now, I think I might kill you!" He dropped his wand and launched himself off the few steps and into the kitchen. He wrapped his hand around Malfoy's small throat and stared at him with a piercing gaze.  
  
"Kill me then," the silver haired boy challenged. "Kill me when I am weak and we'll see when you find Hermione."  
  
Harry looked shocked at his forwardness. "Don't call her by her name. You don't deserve to say her name!" he snarled, gripping tighter. Draco coughed and began to struggle away from him but Harry was nearly seeing red and held fast to him.  
  
"Po-tter-i-love-her," he gagged, and the scarred boy snatched his hand away. Draco fell to the floor, coughing and gasping. "Damn it, I must have done something really bad to deserve that."  
  
Harry Potter was still speechless though. So speechless that he had taken Malfoy's seat and was staring oddly at him. "You don't love anything but yourself," he finally said, as if he had gone over and over it in his head.  
  
"I wish I could tell you that were true."  
  
"And why can't you? It would be much easier for me to accept I can tell you that."  
  
"Ah, well making it easier one you is one thing but I swore to Hermione, and I won't lie to her. Therefore lying to you about Hermione and I would make me feel really guilty. I'm proud of her really. She's the reason I'm here. Though, she paid a price for it." He hung his head and spoke again. "Please help me. I don't want or need your friendship. You or Ron means absolutely nothing to me. I just need to have her back so she can be free."  
  
"Fine, tell me what happened and if I believe you I'll consider helping you-and you won't ever be my friend either," Harry said with a hint of amusement in his voice.  
  
Draco caught it and looked up. "Wonderful! Then we're enemies on a common mission, then." He continued to tell Harry all about Holly Horris's then when he went back. He spoke of his feelings in such great detail Harry had to urge him along to get to the long awaited end.  
  
"Who is Merlin's name would believe a story like that? Malfoy, I am reading a teenage girl's romance fiction and it had more belief in it then any of that does. I don't see Hermione going into a relationship with you let alone not escaping when she had the chance," he paused to spit out the words, "unless she likes you too."  
  
He was choosing his words very carefully but before Harry could muster another angry spout, Mr. Weasley landed coolly inside the fireplace. He looked befuddled at first but only waved to the small man who was kneeled at Ronald's best friend's knees. "Hiya, Harry," he said with caution, "do we have a guest?"  
  
"No, he was just leaving," Harry tried to stand in front of Draco but Arthur only looked around him and exclaimed, "Oh my, aren't you Lucius's boy? I-am quite-sorry about your father." He was trying to sound nice.  
  
"Don't be," Draco smiled up at him, standing up slowly, "I'm not."  
  
Arthur nodded in a confused but understanding way. Next Ginny landed in a clumsier manner. She was blowing her nose in a rag and nearly walked past the three men standing there watching her. "Oh my," she gaped, repeating her fathers words. She covered her face with her hands and rushed up the stairs. Mrs. Weasley was next in line and she was completely kind with Draco, making him wonder if she knew who he was. She sat him down, gave him a cup of tea, and began cooking, all before Ron lastly stood in the fire place with blazing eyes.  
  
"WHO LET HIM IN? WHO LET HIM IN?" he repeated, screaming at everyone and making Ginny peek out into the kitchen with her nose rag pressed against her chest nervously.  
  
"Now, Ron, dear don't go shooting off." Mrs. Weasley began.  
  
"DON'T YOU TELL ME THAT? DO YOU KNOW WHO HE IS?"  
  
Molly Weasley looked shocked at her son's behavior. "Don't you EVER TALK TO ME THAT WAY RONALD! OF COURSE I KNOW! This boy just lost his father and he's obviously in some sort of mess or he wouldn't be here. He isn't hurting anyone so SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP."  
  
Steam was coming out of his blood shot ears but he sat down, grunting every few seconds while Draco took center stage telling his story for a second time. Ron looked thunderstruck.  
  
"I found Slytherin robes in my things when I unpacked. I thought it was some joke someone had played on me," he growled. "So she's got herself knocked up by you no less! I think I'm going to be sick," Ron spat and stood up. "I know I won't help you find her. She got herself in this mess with the help of you! You can get her out of it!"  
  
He stormed off, knocking the chair over and hitting his hip on the side of the kitchen counter before screaming into pillow in his room.  
  
Draco was so tired and drained from telling the tale twice in one day and recalling every detail. He pulled out a bag and Harry shot him an evil look but didn't say anything. The pink liquid was still as thick as ever and he hungrily popped open the lid to slide a large dose down his throat but someone snatched it away and smashed it on the floor.  
  
He looked up at Mrs. Weasley with a flabbergasted look on his face. She only smiled and waved one finger in the air. "We don't need potions in this house. We have nourishing food," she cheerfully sang. She sat a small cauldron of beef stew and a loaf of bread in front of him. "Eat up."  
  
Draco watched the pink jelly turn into pink liquid and seep into the already dirty floor. He picked up his spoon and ate greedily to everyone's surprise. Harry was sure it looked like Draco was about to grab at his heart again when Mrs. Weasley smashed his vile.  
  
**  
  
I know I did good ^-^ I updated two days in a row!!! I was up from 8AM til 1PM writing so I hope it's good-my editor wasn't here so sorry for the mess ups even though he misses abunch too! I predict four more chapters and it will be over but I've got another story in the memory banks, if this one goes well in the end. EEKK I'm so excited to get to "climactic battle scene!" I know you will all love it ^-^ Thanks for all the reviews I got last night and this morning! It means the world to moi! XOXO, RatWitch 


	17. Just Living

CH. 17 - Just Living  
  
Draco shuttered and pulled the cover over his head as he heard someone coming to the end of the hall. He hadn't wanted to wake up after last night. After eating the food so fast, even though Mrs. Weasley had assured him that very thing would happen, his stomach wretched it all out again and he felt worse then he did before he ate.  
  
A light knock fell on his door and he moaned against the pillow. "Come in," he mumbled, turning over to face his visitor. It was the youngest Weasley. She was still in her pajamas but she was carrying a large tray with two steamy bowls and a smile. Her nose was still bright red.  
  
"Hey. I've come to fraternize with enemy," she giggled. "Ron seems to think you were going to kill us all in our sleep." She sat one bowl down on his night stand. Ginny chose the large armchair across from his bed and sat carefully in it.  
  
Draco sat up tiredly and rubbed his eyes. His yawns burst one out by one, each louder then the next until he could some what shake off the feeling of sleepiness. Draco had been sweating all through the night and his satiny robes were itching at his skin. He stretched a few times then strained his neck over to see what she had brought him. It was chicken broth. He scowled at her but she was looking at him with wide, wondrous eyes.  
  
"What?" he asked with that Malfoy annoyance in his voice.  
  
"Nothing, I'm just not used to getting the time to watch you wake up," she laughed cutely. "It's just too weird. You and Hermione, I mean, I never thought it would happen for sure." Her cheeks were pink from giggling so much.  
  
"Is it such a bad thing?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow at her and then sipped politely on his soup. Ginny tipped her bowl and slurped hers down, wiping the excess from her lips. Her still-young eagerness amused him.  
  
"Well, I won't lie and say our family didn't really hope for Hermione to be with Ron because we know he totally loves her. He pines over her all the time when she is gone. Even last night, Harry said he heard him," she paused as if to choose the right word, "being really sad. Now, we just want Hermione safe. We'll have to worry about the rest later. Oh look! I brought you something else." Ginny pulled a small pack of pictures bound together with a small amount of thin rope. She put them in his trembling hands.  
  
Only a few were in color and moving but they were all of Hermione, smiling happily. One photograph in particular was of her, Harry and Ron all on Harry's Firebolt waving happily. Another was of her reading a book and trying not to smile at the camera but she kept looking up and looking away again quickly. The others were in black and white, regular pictures.  
  
Draco stared at them with his mouth slightly open. He swallowed and closed his eyes. "Why are you here, talking to me of all people about romance? Shouldn't you be, I don't know, flirting with Potter or something?" he snapped, feeling more and more tired by the minute.  
  
"Now, now Mr. Malfoy," Ginny chastised, shaking her finger at him like Mrs. Weasley, "you should know to be nice to a family that is being so nice to you." She smiled and her cheeks turned as pink as her nose. "And I don't like Harry."  
  
Draco choked on his broth and it went everywhere. Despite his weariness laughter exploded out of him like a cannon. He was clutching his side as if it would rip apart. He kicked his feet on the bed, still howling with ticklish delight. "You-are-a seventh year," he gasped for breath as if he were struggling against a deep ocean tide, "and-you--never TOLD HIM?"  
  
For the first time since she had brought him his liquid food, Ginny scowled but her ears were now matching her cheeks and she looked like a large tomato. This made the Malfoy boy laugh harder. Tears were pouring from his eyes. This made the Weasley girl even angrier. "Of course I told him but I'm a 'little sister' to him." Ginny was chewing the inside of her cheek. Draco stopped laughing but his wide was still there. "Does that make you laugh that I was humiliated?"  
  
He looked at her in the eyes, still smiling. "I don't care about you, Potter, or your pathetic brother. Why Hermione wasted her time with any of you is beyond me. I don't want any of you to like me or accept me. I just want to get her back. She is my one and only priority-not you."  
  
Ginny's bottom lip shuttered but she lifted her chin. "It must be nice being so selfish, Malfoy." She gathered their dirty dishes quickly and slammed the door. The silence was deafening.  
  
**  
  
Mrs. Weasley came up to him a few hours later and woke him up again. He woke up much better for her. She didn't say much but laid out a piece of bread and some cheese. Draco didn't feel sorry for what he had said to her daughter because it was the truth-though he could have wiped that smile from his smirking face.  
  
Draco sat up to stand and thank her but she only shushed him and ushered him to lie back down. "You won't be doing much today. You are still much too weak. What good would you do Hermione in this condition?"  
  
"I can't help her lying in bed either," he said, trying to keep his voice polite. He was really quite annoyed by her caring for him.  
  
She was nudging through a small dresser, not looking at him. "You will listen to what I tell you and nothing else. If you want food and a place to sleep you will listen to me. I know why you are so-cruel even if the boys and Ginny do not." She pulled out a pair of worn pants and surveyed them curiously, looked at Draco, then folded them back into the drawer. Mrs. Weasley began rummaging again. "You, yourself, are still only a child! What do you plan on fighting with? Your wand is gone."  
  
Draco looked at the ceiling with repose. "A dagger would work."  
  
Molly laughed and tossed a green sweater over her large shoulder. "I never thought I would live to see a Malfoy fight with a Muggle weapon. Ah- ha!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she pulled out a pair of jeans that were covered in multicolored patches in several places. She draped them over her arm and turned to him with a frown that could mean a thousand messages. "Lose your pride or you will lose it all. You have something going for you. Don't mess it up because you can't let go of your father." She shut the door.  
  
Draco shook his head and smiled, curling back up in his sleeping position. Those Weasley women were something else.  
  
**  
  
Molly visited him three times a day with the same answer to his question.  
  
"When can I go to her?"  
  
"When you are able to stand without passing out after a few minutes."  
  
Though it was hard to swallow, Draco lay in his bed day after day reading books about household cleaning and tricky charms to put on your enemies (which he thought was pointless since his wand was gone). He had held the pictures of Hermione so many times there were marks where his thumbs rubbed the picture white. Looking at them only brought him terrible pain.  
  
The rooms' last occupant was the striving Percy Weasley, whose Prefect badge was still in a nice but dusty case. He had strange books like how to impress your fellow ministry officials and the guide to being a perfect prefect. The books seemed to have some what of an argument but no depth and Draco found them dull. His walls were covered in Gryffindor banners and pennants. There was a stack of rusty cauldrons in a corner. This room looked like a museum that needed a lot of upkeep. The only thing that had hinted anyone had taken care of the room was a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley clinging to a proud looking boy in his Head Boy attire. It had no dust and looked as if it had been the only thing cleaned.  
  
Visitors were never expected aside from Mrs. Weasley. He hadn't seen Harry and Ron (not that he cares, mind you) since he had arrived there and according to Molly, he had been there for nearly two months. Ginny came almost once a week and would talk to him in a curious tone but never asked him any personal questions that would make him snap at her. He had been getting cabin fever and his attitude depleted worse and worse as the days rode over him. Sleep was the only escape. He nearly spent twenty hours sleeping a day. The rest of his four hours were spent taking energy supplements and eating Molly's home cooking. Time was of no matter at this point.  
  
'What I wouldn't do for a nice breath of fresh.'  
  
A blast of blinding light burst into the small room. Draco screamed and put a pillow over his head. "Wake up, Malfoy, you prat," Harry sneered, standing by the window. He was holding a pair of jeans of which the patches were all the same color green and a green sweater with a large Slytherin snake on the front, though the stitch strayed in places.  
  
Draco peeked out from under the cover of the pillow and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well," he said, "at least you have a little fat on you now. You look almost the same. Here," he said, throwing the cloths on the pillows that were covering Draco's head a few minutes ago. "Get dressed. You get to get off your lazy ass today."  
  
"Where's Molly or Ginny?" Draco croaked. His throat was dry and he had expected Molly with his morning tea.  
  
"They won't be playing maid for you anymore, Malfoy. Ginny is back at Hogwarts anyway." Harry could have swore he seen a little sadness in his eyes. "Don't you know how long you've been here?"  
  
"Molly told me two months." Draco muttered.  
  
"She told you two months two months ago!" Harry almost pitied him once again but he hardened his heart at the thought. Draco shot up and gasped, his chest rising and falling with great sighs. "I've been here four months then?" Draco asked.  
  
"Hermione should be as big as a house now, huh? She's nearly five months along now," he said, shaking his head. Harry had told himself he couldn't get angry at Malfoy when he went to give him his clothes. The words he had wanted to say spilled out his mouth like a raging river. There was no stopping his emotions. "I still can't believe you did this to our friend. She was never your friend or even an acquaintance! You are poison! You kill anything that comes near you. I hate you! We all hate you! When we get to your manor I hope you go down with it! You don't deserve to live for doing this to her!"  
  
Draco sat there and let Harry fling insults at him. He supposed he deserved it and only nodded at Harry as he left. As much as he didn't want it to affect him the words stung. He had always beat himself up about how if had left Hermione alone she could be here with her friends, and perhaps be working at the ministry. She sure wouldn't be in the manor under the Imperius curse. He felt bad enough without everyone in The Burrow reminding him.  
  
He stood up and had expected to fall over tired like all the other times but his had feet planted firmly on the ground as if he had been doing it everyday. He pulled off his itchy robes and looked at himself in the mirror. His once tanned skin was pale again but he had a little color in his cheeks. His face was still as pointy as ever but the fill had come back. He definitely wasn't as muscular as before, having had that potion devour every muscle in his body but his arms seemed to look stronger and less skeletal. He pushed his long hair back, admired his naked, restored body and gave a toothy smile to the mirror.  
  
The sweater was a bit itchy but it was heaven compared to those stinky robes that had once been his best. The stitching was, for the most part, beautifully done and even the background emblem for the Slytherin snake was done with a steady hand. The pants matched his shirt and fit him just fine but being a pureblood, Draco hadn't ever worn blue jeans before. It was known as "Muggle clothing" to Lucius. He fell over quite a few times before he finally figured out to button first then zip.  
  
The hallway wasn't very long and was on the second landing. His door was on the end of the hall as he emerged nearly to the stairs already. The smells of Molly's cooking made his mouth water as he wasn't used to not eating already. There were murmurs coming from the kitchen and he guessed everyone had already sat down to eat without him.  
  
His heart fell suddenly. "Why am I doing this to them?" he asked himself. He froze. Why should he care? Since when did he start caring?  
  
Draco went down the stairs slowly and entered the kitchen. His heartbeat was thundering in his ears. He had expected everyone to be nearly done but instead everyone had a clean shiny plate. Harry, Ron, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley turned to look at him but only two of them smiled.  
  
"There you are, dear. Oh your sweater fits you! You look so much better. How handsome you are when you clean up. I made that to bring back some memories. I never had a chance to make any colors other then gold and maroon. I have a lot of green sitting around. Sit down, honey, what kind of drink would you like?" Mrs. Weasley asked, pulling out a chair for him.  
  
"Tea," answered Draco.  
  
Ron sulked and put his fork down. "Took you long enough to get down here, Malfoy," Ron grumbled.  
  
"Ron, that'll be all," Mr. Weasley said. Arthur looked more nervous then even Draco, as if he was expecting a riot.  
  
"I hope you are all hungry! I made a celebration feast," sung Molly, bringing out Draco's tea-along with an entire giant stuffed turkey. It was glazed with honey and shimmered in the morning sunlight. There was barley on the outside of it for looks. It was odd for a breakfast dish but all the men's mouths watered and Arthur reached for the knife to cut it but got his hand smacked.  
  
When she had put out the rest of the sides it filled the table with roasted potatoes, snap beans, corn, apple tarts, and muffins. Molly tried to make a conversation but it always ended up being her talking to herself. Ron was stuffing everything in his mouth at max speed so he could get away from the table as quick as possible. The problem was his stomach was like an endless pit so when he thought he was done he would take another look at the turkey and get more. Harry was staring down at his plate and making his corn kernels into a big frown face after he had gotten his fill. Draco was looking around the house with a big gob of food in his mouth as if transfixed on the simplicity of the Weasley's home. Mr. Weasley was just eating as normal but his eyes kept shooting from Draco to Ron.  
  
Everyone had gotten there fill. Ron had to excuse himself very quickly. He had lost track of how much he was eating because he was glaring at Malfoy during their chocolate fudge cake dessert. Everyone could hear him gagging in the bathroom.  
  
Mrs. Weasley and Harry cleaned up the dishes as Mr. Weasley took Draco to one side. "We know you don't have a wand and tomorrow Molly and I decided it would be a good time for you and the boys to head out." He put his hand in his deep robe pockets and pulled out a small dagger.  
  
The handle was engraved with an owl with a sharp hooked beak and long sharp talons. There was a large W under its claws. It's wing span wrapped around the entire top part of the handle. The blade wasn't a long one but it had recently been sharpened (by Mr. Weasley no less) and looked beautiful to Draco as it shimmered. It was very old but it was still sturdy and obviously was just a Weasley family heirloom that wasn't used. "We wish we could give you a wand but as you know we don't have the money we wish we could."  
  
"Mr. Weasley-I just can't accept this. I know it's weird to hear. It's weird for me to say but-I owe you and your wife so much. I couldn't possibly take more from you."  
  
Arthur's gentle features softened. He sheathed the blade and pushed it against Draco's chest. "I was wrong about you, Draco Malfoy," he said. "You are nothing like your father Lucius. Take care of Hermione." Mr. Weasley patted him on the shoulder, like a father would his son when he were proud of him, then he walked off. Arthur's smile seemed to linger for the rest of the day.  
  
The next morning was the most exciting morning Draco had had since this whole ordeal had started. He jumped out of bed and pulled on his sweater and pants. He tried to slick his hair back with water but to no success.  
  
The sun was just rising above the clouds as Draco emerged from Percy's old room, smiling happily. Everyone else was already ready and had already eaten. Draco snatched an apple tart and burst outside.  
  
Mrs. Weasley was hugging Ron with tears in her eyes but he only looked annoyed. Arthur was prepping Harry on what would happen if Ron started fighting with Draco but they all became quiet when he emerged. Ron was scowling but quiet.  
  
Draco tried to keep a calm sense about him when he stepped up to Mrs. Weasley but he caught himself pressing himself up against her when she hugged him. He shook hands with Mr. Weasley then turned to Ron.  
  
"I'm only going to help Hermione," Ron stated.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"You can ride on Harry's broom-I know I would knock you off before we even got ten feet from the ground."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Draco glared at him then jumped on Harry's Firebolt. "Don't get any ideas, Potter." Draco hadn't ever ridden on a Firebolt and was psyched at the speed it had when they rose. He looked down to see the Burrow, small like an imitation model.  
  
"To the west," Draco instructed. Ron was many feet below them.  
  
"That's all I need to know," Harry said. "So you don't have to talk the rest of the trip or at least I would rather you not until we get near."  
  
"Oh, Pottey, you're so polite," Draco said.  
  
"There's nothing keeping me from throw you off," Harry said, heading west with a slower pace then before so Ron could catch up.  
  
"Hermione's keeping you from throwing me off, Potter."  
  
The ride was as silent as Harry would've liked and he almost forgot that his arch nemesis was riding on the same broomstick. The air was sticky and humid, making the ride very uncomfortable for all three boys were wearing sweaters and long pants. Ron moaned and groaned about the heat when he wasn't busy insulting Malfoy who wasn't listening.  
  
"There! Towards those Dark Wood Willow trees!" The trees were very visible even as high as they were in the clouds. They were ebony and stood out like a sore thumb in the all the greenery. "It's the trees that hide the manor. The trees are impenetrable to any Muggles. Land on the outside of it." Much to Draco's surprise, Harry was excellent at landing. The ground was very hilly and full of holes to keep people from treading around there. It almost had the illusion that the dirt was throbbing with life.  
  
Draco pressed his hand against the thick black branches, saying, "Open. I am a Malfoy. Open. I am a Malfoy." As every door in the Malfoy Manor, this was no different and opened without fail for its master.  
  
He had planned to march right up to the doors and swing them open, like a mad man, and stab her into a bloody pulp right on her very doorstep but he only stood there, his mouth ajar, his hand twitching at his side.  
  
"THIS IS YOUR HOUSE?" Ron cried from behind him, suddenly bursting out laughing at him. "You're a hobo!" His maniacal laughter reverberated against the trees.  
  
"What kind of joke is this?" Harry demanded. In front of him was a wide and deep swamp that was covered to the hilt in moss. The sound of crickets was as loud as a concert. It looked as if the Malfoy Manor had been swallowed up by the earth.  
  
"It's-gone," Draco whispered. No one heard as his voice was carried off by a howling wind.  
  
**  
  
Omg.sorry it took me so long to update again.my flu turned out to much more and I'm still feeling pretty blah but ah well ^-^ I think this chapter is like.the worst one I've written so far because aside from the fact that I've been on several medications, I was in a hurry because I hadn't updated for so long. I don't want you all to forget me! I didn't get many reviews last time and I'm worried! I don't want you to miss the grand finale! R&R!! 


	18. Gaurdians

The wind began to rush against the trio in what seemed like gun blasted bursts of air. Draco clung to a nearby tree. Harry and Ron had been pushed back against a wall of the Dark Wood Willows.  
  
"Where is this wind coming from, Malfoy?" Harry barked but it only sounded like a muffled voice that not even Ron could hear. The entire swamp was domed over with black trees with large black drooping leaves so no gale this strong could be blowing from any direction. The odder thing was the leaves that belonged to the strange colored trees were as still as stone.  
  
As sudden as it came it was gone again. Draco's breath had nearly been sucked from him and he was gasping, leaning again the rickety tree he had been holding onto. He would have stayed. He would have waited out as long as he had to until the house reappeared but he knew better. "We aren't supposed to be here. There's nothing for us here," he whispered. The tree began trembling under his hand.  
  
Draco's hair stood up on the back of his head. He began looking franticly looking for the exit to the outside world but since it had closed, every wall looked the same. It was all one big mess of tangled branches and leaves. The trunks were all pressed firmly together as well.  
  
"Harry!" he shouted. "Where did we come in at?"  
  
Harry looked around his shoulder then did a 360 and looked back at Draco with a baffled look on his face.  
  
"Malfoy you've got us lost, have you?" Ron said, in his usual insulting tone but he was also looking a little worried. The red head ran his hands up and along the closest wall. "This is probably a trap you've lead us into!"  
  
This was a foolish statement for Draco was the more nervous of them all as he felt the walls beginning to throb with intense life now. The Malfoy's hands were now clasped on the handle of his blade. "Get out your wands. I didn't expect the house to be gone," his said, his voice rising with every passing word. He meant to tempt them. It was the only way. "These Willows are wild now and I have no control of them. The house tamed them and they were enchanted to obey us since they were planted but now the house is gone. They destroy anything they feel is a threat. Something must have happened to make them really pissed."  
  
Harry had already pulled out his wand before Draco had to say anything and was looking around with his war face on. Ron on the other hand had pulled his out too but was brandishing it at Draco's befuddled face. "I don't believe that. I think you've led us into this place to kill us."  
  
"Ron! The trees are alive! Can't you feel them?" Harry said but Ron paid no mind and prepared to curse Draco. He was lifted off his feet before he could utter a syllable. One of the Dark Wood's had lifted Ron up by his ankles with one its leafy vines and he dropped his wand.  
  
Something loud and very OLD sounding came from all around them, as if the trees were talking to each other in different toned complaints. "Weasley," Draco called above the noise, "look for the door up there! There should be light through the leaves up there somewhere."  
  
"Shut up you traitor," Ron bellowed trying to repel the other vines that were closing in on him. He paid no attention to Draco's desperate pleas.  
  
Meanwhile Harry was running to help Ron, wand raised. The ground shifted under his feet and giant roots that had been sticking up from the ground rose out of the stinky swamp, scaring off the wild life that had been inhabited under its shade. The tree had obviously been rooted for quite some time as the tentacle looking things groaned when they wrapped themselves around Harry's torso. Harry quickly pulled himself up out of the tunnel it was creating around him but the tree locked its tight wooden grasp around his lower leg and raised him high into the air.  
  
"Malfoy," Harry said, pointing to the left of Draco. "I see it! Over there near those rocks! WHOA!" He was jerked backwards and hit his back against another tree, stunning him. The tree he had run into actually came to life and turned Harry towards it.  
  
Its eyes were wide and yellow but looked nothing like a cat's. It looked like someone had thrown a bucket of brown paint inside its iris's and then stuck large purple toothpicks in them to make the iris shaped like an umbrella. His nose was just one big crooked branch and his mouth formed shortly after with sharp wooden teeth.  
  
It didn't look at Harry directly but at the blond haired boy in the green sweater that was racing towards the exit. Its vines shot out like a fired bullet and wrapped its leafy vines around his ankle. He fell face first in the smelly mud and nearly choked on it if the tree wouldn't have pulled him up. Draco used his new strength he had acquired at the Weasley's to pull himself up and slice the vines and he hurled back into the mud. The tree screamed with madness and that seemed to wake the others up. In a matter of seconds several yellow eyes glowed at Draco. He froze like a rabbit in fear.  
  
"ARGH!" Ron choked, thrashing in the air. He almost looked like he was being held in the air by thin black wires. The vines were beginning to wrap around his neck and squeeze at a geriatric pace. "HARRY HELP!"  
  
"RUN!" Harry screamed, snapping Draco out of his trance.  
  
Vines shot at him from nearly every direction and he tumbled out of control a few times, trying to hack away at what felt like a million ropes lassoed out to hold him down but he wouldn't be held by anything anymore. He wasn't going to have to go back to Mrs. Weasley and tell her he had left her son to die and he was to be damned if Hermione was going to be left to his mother, alone and frightened. Even if he was to die, he would rather die protecting her.  
  
He stabbed the thin baby Dark Wood Willow's that were on their way to making another sturdy wall and ripped them to the side. The outside was bright but Draco had paid no attention as he dashed to the side to avoid part if a branch from crushing him. He quickly hopped on Harry's Firebolt that was propped up against an old oak tree, the dagger jutting defiantly in front of him as if he were riding off into battle.  
  
The trees were extremely mad since Draco had destroyed their most recent Willows and had begun to lean in, making the dome smaller and smaller. The speed of the magnificent broomstick was enthralling to him though there wasn't anywhere to fly or any time for that matter. Ron's face was turning blue and the tree had focused on Harry now who had been wrapped neck to toe in roots and he was getting very near to the tree's jagged teeth.  
  
Draco sliced the vines on Ron's neck and dropped him to the ground at a lower altitude. "Weasley," he shouted, hovering near him. "When I cut you down YOU HAVE TO STUN THE TREE WITH YOUR WAND! LISTEN TO ME! I will catch Potter, just stun the damned TREE!"  
  
Ron shot him a look of contempt but seen Harry and how close he was to being food for a tree and nodded his head without looking at Draco. He dashed off through the puddles of green swamp water to seek his wand out. He hardly had any room to rise now since the trees were closing on them so quickly. Branches slapped at Draco in nearly every direction he flew to but he had also been a seeker and it was beginning to be fun for him as the stealthy broom did most of the work for him. This was no times for games though.  
  
Harry had passed out from being squeezed so hard and the scarred boy hung limply above its mouth.  
  
"Weasley WHERE ARE YOU?"  
  
From the fog that covered the ground, a voice belonging to Ron screamed, "CRUCIO!"  
  
The two men who hadn't passed out in the roots of a giant living tree had never heard such a depressing sound in their entire lives. It was as if the earth itself was in a terrible pain and the sound of their cries sounded like a woman's muffled sobs echoing through empty halls. Ron however held fast to the curse with a look of pure hatred on his face. Where the vines had been on his neck left a nearly purple mark and had bled in some places. Ron was clutching the wound with his unused hand.  
  
Draco swooped closely in between the jaws of Harry's capture and caught him. The other trees were howling their sad song even louder now as the older trees writhed with pain.  
  
"Weasley, get on," Draco said, struggling to hold Harry on the broom and hold on himself.  
  
Ron glared at the tree that was seemed to have a never ending voice of pain. "I don't need anymore of your help, you stupid ferret."  
  
Draco's face flushed with anger at Weasley for the first time. Since he had arrived at the Burrow he had been under control but no more. He had always wished he had never known a Weasley but to let him just die here and under such stupid conditions, when Draco could use his help, was unthinkable. Ron was just being a stubborn child. Draco bit down on the collar of Harry's robes and leaned over him and pressing him against the broom so he didn't wobble. When he was sure he could hold Harry on Draco snatched Ron by the arm, and held on to the broom for dear life.  
  
Draco was thanking his lucky stars that he didn't have to fly high because the broom was struggling enough carrying him and Harry, let a lone the red head on it's tail that was fighting Draco to let him go.  
  
The Cruciatus Curse had lifted from the Dark Wood Willow tree and the agony that had glazed over its eyes was gone and rage had taken its place. It pulled all of its roots with all the strength it could muster and broke apart the entire dome the trees had been created for years.  
  
Ron was doused with water and his feet were skimming along the rocky, mossy ground. "We all mosst 'ere," Draco muttered, his drool hanging down the side of his mouth as he tried to hold on Harry with his teeth and assure Ron who was calling him every curse word he could think of that there was hope. It really wasn't far now. He could see the light welcoming him.  
  
If he had been facing the tree Draco would have also seen what Ron had shut up to watch with wide, tear filled eyes. "FLY YOU BASTARD! FLY FASTER! GO!" He screamed, running his brown shoes along the slick mud.  
  
The oldest of the old Dark Wood Willow tree's had de-rooted itself therefore had lost its life and was falling on the slow moving broom as fast as gravity could pull it. Its mouth was wide open and the tree looked like it was snarling at them even in it's paralyzed like state.  
  
Draco only had to take one look over his shoulder and he was kicking at the broom like a horse. He leaned forward, hoping the less wind resistance they had the better but it didn't seem to make much difference.  
  
"LET GO OF ME, MALFOY!" Ron screamed. "YOU CAN GET HARRY OUT IF YOU LET ME GO!"  
  
Draco had no time to think and nodded. He jerked to the side over a large hole of swamp water and let the Weasley boy go. The broom load was incredibly lightened and he zoomed out of the damaged tree swamp with what would have taken much longer with three.  
  
When the tree landed it made the entire forest rumble and the gale of wind hit the two flying very hard, knocking them both off the broom. Draco spent to time checking on Harry. He dashed back into dome where all the trees had become still.  
  
"RON WEASLEY! RON!" Draco hollered over the calls of the birds. He dove through the leaves and branches of the fallen willow and into the muggy waters. It was knee deep in some parts and in others it was so deep he couldn't touch with his tippie-toes. "WEASLEY! WEASLEY! RON!"  
  
"Don't say my name as if I were your friend, Malfoy," said Ron, who was sitting on a rock that was jutting out of the water. He had a huge bubble around his head and a smile on his face. He had used to breathe under the deep waters while the tree fell.  
  
They didn't say much as they walked back with slow strides. They had both been heroes of the hour and both had been brave. There was no more competition between the two but there wasn't friendship either. Ron and Draco had just called it a truce for now.  
  
Harry wasn't in such good shape as they had been. He was awake but two of his lower ribs had been broken from the tree's strong grip. He wished now that he would just fall asleep again. At least then he wouldn't be feeling such a sharp pain in his chest.  
  
Ron took off his sweater and wadded it up to provide a pillow for his best friend. "Are you ok Harry?"  
  
"I've seen better days," he said in a low tone.  
  
"I would heal you but I was never really that good at it. If Hermione were here she could," Ron said sadly trying not to look at Draco because he didn't want to say anything to annoy Harry.  
  
The trio as a whole was looking meager. Ron's neck was totally bruised and bleeding, with small splinters here and there. Parts of his arms were no different. Harry was not only broken in places but his breathing didn't sound healthy. It came out in small raspy gasps. His eyes were dull and glazed over. Draco had come out luckiest with only a few scratches but his leg muscles were tight and it hurt him to kneel. All of them had torn their clothes and were caked with mud from head to toe.  
  
"I hate trees," Ron declared. "I don't have any luck with trees! Well," he said, with poor enthusiasm, "at least I didn't break my wand this time." He pulled it out and leaned against the same beach tree as Harry and closed his eyes. The tired black haired boy turned his head towards Draco and eyed him with have closed lids. Draco wasn't being as relaxed (or as unobservant) as Ron was. His gray-blue eyes were wide with curiosity as he took slow baby steps toward a part of the swamp that was still visible from outside of the willow trees.  
  
"What is it?" Harry asked, trying to sit up. A fiery pain shot through him and he grunted, smothering his cry. Sitting wouldn't help him at all anyway. Just then Harry felt the earth tremor slightly and then stop. "Did you feel that?" he snapped, his teeth still clenched in agony.  
  
Draco raised his pointer finger to his lips and shrugged his shoulders. He had felt it but he was eyeing something else. The water that was coming out from under the giant fallen willow seemed to boil and so did the mud but there was no steam to indicate anything was hot.  
  
A giant tower began to rise quickly up out of the black muck. The other tower on their far end rose along with it. The middle of the giant building began growing out of the ground last but with more speed then towers. The birthing of this house from the ground ripped every single Willow tree out of its roots. Its stones were completely clean from any filth however. The ground was trembling like there was an earthquake going on. The giant tree was now resting atop the roof of the Malfoy Manor.  
  
"Ah-ha," said Ron softly to Draco, whose nose had almost been taken off by the sudden unexpected arrival, "so THIS is your house, eh?"  
  
**  
  
I know I said there would be one more chapter but I kinda drew this one out longer then I had expected ^-^ so i decided to split them up. It would make it much for comfortable for you all too I'm sure. No one likes to read 14 pages (in Word) worth of post in one sitting I'm sure. Anyway I hope this chapter can hold you over for awhile until I get the end finished cause it's still going to be a long last chapter. Enjoi ^-^ 


	19. It Never Ends

Narcissa stood in front the body mirror with intense interest. She had been saving the dress for this very occasion. It was a blond color with a plunging neck that would have shown a fair amount of her breasts but there were long light green frills bursting from the neck line to cover them. The yellow fabric split in the middle of her skirt to make room for more green frills that went down to her toes. The train was made of lace and dragon hide which was hard to pull around but looked very regal none the less.  
  
"How do I look?" She asked the mirror, curtseying around like a cheerful schoolgirl. She slipped the silver hooks in her ears that attached to a dangling tear shaped rubies.  
  
"Breathtaking," the mirror said.  
  
She chuckled and turned to her bed. Hermione was lying on the floor next to it with her teeth clenched and one arm wrapped around her stomach. Her other hand was tied to the bed post.  
  
"What do you think, child?" Narcissa asked with honey in her voice. She leaned over Hermione and kissed her softly. She let her lips linger on Hermione's, while she ran a long fingered hand through her terribly knotted hair. "You are like the daughter I never had."  
  
Hermione had been under the Imperius curse for so many months she was as confused as she could possibly be. She wasn't confused about one thing though and it was that this woman wanted to hurt her baby.  
  
Hermione tried to lift her head retort at her but it was cut short by another sharp pain in her abdomen. Her tears spattered on the cold floor as she curled up in the fetal position the best she could, praying the pain would go away.  
  
"Pansy is a smart witch when it comes to mixing potions. In a few hours your burden will be removed from you permanently. I had hoped we would just be able to wait for you to have the baby at the regular nine months but I just can't wait that long anymore. Your darling Draco has come at last."  
  
DRACO! Hermione's mind echoed the name and she wanted to smile so badly. If Narcissa hadn't been watching her for some kind of recognition, she would have giggled but she wouldn't give the evil woman any pleasure. How long had he been gone? It seemed like only a few hours ago Hermione had been in the shower with him.  
  
Narcissa waved her wand and the ropes that had been biding Hermione untied themselves and tossed itself aside. "Stand up," she commanded, losing all loving looks. Hermione glared at her then tossed her stare to the floor.  
  
Narcissa wasn't one to be kept waiting; she kicked Hermione directly in her protruding stomach with one of her silvery low-heeled dress shoes. If they hadn't been still submerged in the swamps, Draco could have heard Hermione's screams of agony a mile away. "Act like a stubborn mule and I will treat you like one," Narcissa snapped. "Bindencio." The ropes flew back into the air again and wrapped themselves around Hermione's already raw wrists. The pain in her stomach was too great to make her fight it.  
  
Blood began to trickle from between Hermione's legs as Narcissa pulled her to her feet. "Look at you!" Narcissa exclaimed, looking genuinely worried-- about her floor. "What have you done you filthy little beast? Look at this mess! Now get down and clean it up."  
  
Hermione's emotions were boiling over and the stabs in her lower stomach make things even worst. She sobbed with emotional stress as she struggled hard to bend down without falling but to no avail. She landed hard on the side of her but with a little luck, it didn't pop out of place. Hermione's voice was so hoarse from yelling that she could only croak in defiance.  
  
"Oh forget it," Narcissa sneered, nudging Hermione's head with her foot.  
  
"Narcissa," Pansy called, standing in the door way with a bright look on her face. "I have completed the instructions you gave me and everything is in order."  
  
The oldest of the three women clapped like the youngest. "Oh my, I am so excited. How do I look?" she asked, fluffing her hair with a comb. "Do you think he will like it?"  
  
"Absolutely, my lady, I am so glad everything has gone just as you and he said it would! He will be so pleased."  
  
"You idiot," Narcissa said, still fluffing her hair, "everything hasn't went exactly as planned. You failed the most important part of the plan. If you hadn't been so weak you could have been the pregnant one and I could have just killed this stupid girl months ago."  
  
"Well, forgive me for having no control over that."  
  
Narcissa slammed her comb down on the makeup stand and barked, "You are just a jar full of excuses. Keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you. I'm tired of your whining voice. Now get out of my sight and get dressed. I will bring the Mudblood downstairs and I will proceed without you if I must."  
  
Pansy began to say something but looked in Narcissa's eyes and only nodded. Before she could slam the door the ground began to rumble. A few trinkets fell off the mantle and crashed to the floor. "What are you doing just standing there stupid girl?" Narcissa snapped at Pansy. "Go! Get going. Time is running out! Draco will be here any minute and you have an actress's play to perform. He is the final life I need for to bring back my husband."  
  
**  
  
The manor had somehow succeeded to have its old splendor back. Draco didn't even remember the last time it looked as good as it did having risen out of a murky swamp. The vines that had covered the towers on the left and right sides were cleared and new stone almost shined through. The M above the giant front doors had been crawling with green moss from lack of cleaning. Now it stood out brightly against the dark gray stone.  
  
"This is it," Draco said, staring at the large house. It seemed so alien.  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ron said. He was trying to sound brave, but he was still next to the tree with Harry. Harry had drifted off to sleep in spite of the throbbing pain in both sides of his ribs.  
  
"I'm waiting for an invitation," Draco retorted in a sarcastic tone. He was actually shaking like a leaf. Something inside was actually calling to him. He could feel it and whatever it was, it wasn't good.  
  
"It's your house," Ron said, standing up and striding over to the front doors, "so why don't you just knock?"  
  
Ron raised his fist to the door but before he could knock, it swung open with great force behind it. The ballroom was lit up with candles mounted in every pedestal that outline the dance floor. In the middle, the large protruding snake stared at the two men with intent to kill.  
  
"Ok, that was so uncalled for," muttered Ron. "This is like a cheesy mystery story. Ooooo," he said, making claws with his hands and moaning like a ghost.  
  
"Shut up, Weasley," Draco snapped, stepping into the house and taking long strides to leave him behind. The interior of the house was as completely cleaned as well as the outside had been. The only dirty thing in the house was Draco and that seemed like such irony. He was leaving a nice trail of mud and flecks of dirt across the shiny marble floor.  
  
"Are you coming?" Draco asked, turning to Ron.  
  
"For Hermione, I am," Ron said, staring at the giant house. He was so engrossed in looking, that he knocked over a vase that was sitting on the floor. The shatter of it echoed throughout the empty looking house. They both froze and waited for someone to come-but there was no answer. "Ok, it's empty, let's go," Ron quipped, turning back towards the door.  
  
"Wait," a voice called, carrying throughout the house.  
  
Pansy descended the staircase in a dark red wine colored dress, sliding her gloved hand across the banister. The collar rose above her ears and was decorated with black glass balls dangling from the sides. Her hair was pulled up in the identical style that his mother usually wore.  
  
She smiled at Draco. "Your mother is waiting for you."  
  
"I've been waiting to kill her."  
  
"She's in the family room," Pansy said, ignoring his comment.  
  
"What are you, her messenger? Another one of her little lap dogs, aren't you?" Draco accused. "She should've met me herself."  
  
"Are you going or are you just going to stand here and keep talking?" She asked, becoming annoyed.  
  
Draco shot her a look filled with glass shards and turned to Ron. "Listen, get Harry ready to leave. Where I'm going, no one without Malfoy blood is allowed to go and if you DO go, you will get your life drained from you in a matter of minutes."  
  
"That sounds like a load of crap, Malfoy. If Hermione needs my help, I'm going to help her," Ron scowled.  
  
"LISTEN! You won't help her if you're dead," snapped Draco, "and you couldn't help Harry either. Ok? So no matter how much noise you hear.even if the house goes up in flames-you DO NOT enter that room!"  
  
Ron was giving Draco a dirty look but shrugged. "If you lose her, I'll never forgive you," he said, and walked out slowly.  
  
"Fair enough," Draco muttered.  
  
Pansy had gotten off the stairs and was now standing at his side. "Oh, Draco, wouldn't this have been the perfect wedding gown for us? I've missed you so much," she purred, grabbing his crouch.  
  
"Get off of me. I'm a married man, Pansy."  
  
"Yeah--to me!"  
  
"No, you may have my name but you don't have any love of mine," he growled, pushing her away. He pressed his hand against the Dark Wood Willow door and said the words that had made it open before.  
  
The room had more a warm feel to it with all the candles outlining the large rocks that lead over to the other side of the room where Hermione was lain out on a thick cover. She was squealing with pain and had her eyes closed tightly. There was a large puddle of blood under her bottom.  
  
He stepped onto the first stone and reached out to Hermione but before he could utter her name, he felt a piercing pain shoot through his left shoulder. He fell to his knees and stared at the white sharp porcelain piece sticking through his skin, right above his breast.  
  
"Oh, damn, I missed," Pansy said cutely. She had stabbed him with a piece of broken vase that Ron had broken. His blood gushed out of the wound at an alarming rate.  
  
Draco stood up shakily and stumbled across the large rocks, clutching the side of his arm and trying not to notice the stabbing throb that spread through his body every time he stepped with his left foot. "Hermione," he whispered, feeling dizzy.  
  
"Pansy, you idiot," Narcissa exclaimed, coming into the room quickly. She jogged up to Draco and looked horrified at his stab wound. "Are you ok, my son?" she asked with worry in her eyes. She pulled the piece out from his back. He didn't even moan as his eyes were locked on the crying girl in labor. "Please come and we will help your love deliver your baby.  
  
"Look, Hermione, who I brought to you," Narcissa cooed in her ear. "She's been in labor for nearly half the day."  
  
Hermione's eyes fluttered open slowly with distrust. She looked at Narcissa then to her other side where Draco was looking down at her with tears brimming over his eyelids. "Draco," she croaked, smiling a weak smile at him, "I missed you so much," she said before another contraction hit her and she groaned. Her hands were still bound behind her back.  
  
"I've missed you," he cried, kissing her free hand. "Please tell me you are ok."  
  
"The-baby," she managed to say between her teeth. "It's going-to-die. ARGH!"  
  
"It's coming, Draco," Narcissa announced quickly, her eyes wide with excitement. She positioned herself between Hermione's legs and watched with intent interest.  
  
The cries of a baby, Draco and Hermione's baby, echoed through the empty room. Hermione broke her stare with Draco and watched Narcissa whip it off with a towel and get the phlegm like stuff from its tiny mouth. Draco reached for it but Narcissa stood up quickly and smiled. "What a lovely girl she is," Narcissa said. Draco couldn't tell if it was sincere or she was being sarcastic.  
  
"Give her to me, then," Draco said, holding his gushing wound. His head was spinning when he stood up and he fell over almost immediately.  
  
"She's none of yours. Pansy, please watch these children while I prepare the necessary actions."  
  
At this job, Pansy was much obliged. She stood over them with a smirk on her face and her wand pointing directly at Hermione. "Make any sudden moves, Draco, I dare you. I know Avada Kadavra and she won't be any loss to me so just watch the show and be grateful you were a part of it."  
  
The baby continued crying and flaring its small legs and arms in the air. "Oh shut up you annoying thing. Hermione, my dear, this child looks so undernourished," Narcissa laughed, kneeling on a rock in the middle of the room. Her smile never faded as she stared at the pale white skinned baby. For a moment she felt like she was holding her baby Draco again but she quickly tossed the memory aside. Her son had been a failure to her in every way.  
  
Narcissa cringed when her hands touched the water but she kept her grin painted on her face. The baby's feet kicked hard against the freezing feeling but had no control what so ever as its waist was submerged.  
  
Hermione was screaming with a new found voice though it was ragged and scratchy. Draco had to hold her tight against his chest but he couldn't take his eyes off of his mother. Narcissa was looking at the baby like a wild woman; her eyes were as wide as quarters and she looked like she was in pure ecstasy. He couldn't muffle out the sounds of his own newly arrived daughter screaming bloody murder as much as he wanted to. Draco couldn't stand the cries anymore and stood up quickly, only to be hit with the Cruciatus curse and was sent back down upon a howling Hermione.  
  
Narcissa was knocked out of her trance and the baby was reduced to nothing but small whimpers as it's little pink lips began to turn an ice cold blue. "Oh Pansy, can you handle everything you impudent girl? This is what I've been waiting for two long years!"  
  
"I've got it under control. Just continue with it, already."  
  
"STOP IT!" Draco pleaded, staring at Narcissa with a face full of hurt. "Why are you doing this?"  
  
His mother sighed as if annoyed. "I have my own love to worry about, Draco. You think your fleeting romance with some tramp is special? Twenty years of marriage is a real love, you ignorant boy. Your father knew his time was up and he was tired of serving Voldemort. He and I prepared a spell to bring him back, that look nearly six years of work. There were many ways this could go wrong, but I took every step carefully and look where we are," she said dreamily.  
  
"You-you HATE HIM! You told me! You said you hated being in his shadow," Draco cried.  
  
"Well do you think this plan would have worked so easily if you knew what I could've been up to? Even a tiny idea in your head could ruin everything. If you had had any doubts, I wouldn't have gotten you here so easily. You are weak and at my disposal. Your Mudblood 'wife' is almost out of her mind. Now Lucius will be back, with the power of three generations of Malfoy blood-his, yours, and your child's. I knew it would all end this way. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to finish this-my hands are almost numb."  
  
"YOU BITCH! YOU FU--," was all he could muster before he was hit with another Cruciatus curse that made his stab wound bleed all the more. His vision was drifting in and out but it cleared enough to see Narcissa's arms in the water all the way up to her elbows. A few large bubbles reached the surface but they went away quickly and the water was still again.  
  
When Narcissa pulled her arms back up out of the water, only the towel the baby had been laying in was plastered to them.  
  
"Okay," Pansy said with uneasiness, "so can I kill the girl now?"  
  
"No, look at her you fool. I'm sure it would bring him plenty of happiness to get to come back and kill a Mudblood in the same night," Narcissa said in a sing-song voice.  
  
Draco was beginning not to hear any of the conversation at all. In fact it was getting hard to stay awake too. He leaned against his quivering partner and breathed heavily.  
  
"Narcissa-I don't think your son is going to stay alive much longer. Shouldn't we get this over with?" Pansy asked.  
  
"Hermione," a weak Draco whispered, "please, I know you can save her."  
  
He lifted his head with the last of his strength and looked at her with wide gray eyes. She was shaking her head at him, unable to accept the fact that he was dying though her nightgown was drenched in his blood. "I can't-please don't leave me alone," she sobbed.  
  
"Go," he said, then he exhaled and all of his weight fell onto her.  
  
Narcissa screamed bloody murder. "DRACO! Hurry Pansy quickly! Drag him into the water before his blood goes bad!"  
  
"I can't drag him! He's dead weight now! Wingardium Leviosa!" Pansy charmed his body to float slowly but easily into the freezing pool. His body, like his child's floated to the bottom but the water remained the same-dark and without any ripples. "So what's supposed to.?"  
  
"CAN YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT FOR JUST A FEW SECONDS?" Narcissa screamed at her, looking obviously frightened too that nothing would happen. Everything was completely still.  
  
Under the water though, snakes began to coil around the bodies that had been thrown in only minutes ago. They at first formed a small dome around them then others came along and added to the stack of mounting snakes that were building a tower out of the water.  
  
When the first snake to emerge from the water was visible Narcissa nearly whooped for joy. The snakes were now leaping out of the water like seals to stack one on top of the other. As they worked, the pile raised midway to the high ceiling before they finally were only jumping out of the water one at a time.  
  
The snakes had been wriggling against each other constantly until the last one was in its place then they all paused. "This is it," whispered Narcissa.  
  
The snakes had been a multitude of different colors but all of them turned a dull brown when the slithering stopped. The pile of snakes began to crack and break apart if the snakes all along had been made of clay that had now been left out too long and was crumbling.  
  
The top fell away first, exposing Lucius Malfoy's head. He was bald now and his eyebrows hadn't even grown back. His lips were cracked and white, with bags under his eyes as well. The veins in his face were clearly visible He looked like the living dead.  
  
"LUCIUS," Narcissa cried opening her arms out wide but he only looked at her with a grim expression on his face.  
  
Another mess of dried up snake fell away from his torso, leaving only his legs left under the hardened clumps of snake. It seemed to be working fine until Lucius moved his arms about and tried to pull himself out of the rest of the hardened rock type thing that held him but it was held fast and wouldn't budge. His skin seemed to be fused with it.  
  
"WHAT IS THIS?" he boomed, rocking the entire house with his monstrous new voice. He looked around madly, looking at the smiling Narcissa, the foolish girl with the gaping mouth-and then his eyes fell upon Hermione.  
  
"A MUDBLOOD IN THIS ROOM? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS NARCISSA!"  
  
"I-I-she-she's the one Draco was seeing," Narcissa stuttered, finally looker weaker then Hermione.  
  
"She was the one who bore the child I am feeding from?"  
  
"Yes, my dear Lucius, I made sure everything went they way you explained to me."  
  
"YOU WORTHLESS WOMAN! I INSTRUCTED A PUREBLOODED MOTHER! SHE IS A MUDBLOOD!"  
  
"Our Pureblood was unable to become pregnant, Lucius, and this tramp girl was already pregnant before I had even had a chance to get Draco in bed with his wife. I was just so EAGER to see you a live again, my love."  
  
Lucius's eyes were filled with red hot anger as he reached out for her. She stared at him and could see his madness and, though afraid, Narcissa put her arms out to embrace him. "You have always been my down fall and I give you one chance to redeem yourself and you mess it up as well. I should have expected it. I cannot be reborn with so much Muggle blood running through me. Draco was already some what filled with dirty blood and their child is half Muggle! I had stronger blood before I died. NOW I AM STUCK LIKE THIS! HALF WIZARD-HALF SOMETHING ELSE!  
  
His large gray colored hand shot out and wrapped his hand around his wife's throat. Her eyes bulged immediately and the color drained from her face.  
  
Pansy, as though jarred out of her trance, turned to run out of the room but Lucius pointed his unused open palm at her and Pansy was knocked across the room, her head splitting open as she shot against the stone wall. Her body fell limply into the water.  
  
Hermione was slouched in the corner but was inching slowly towards the pool of ice cold water. Lucius was busy chastising his wife in his guttural sounding voice. Everything that was happening to her had to be just a nightmare. Her baby HAD to be alive. She had to see. She had to save her daughter. Even if Draco was dead, as he had died in front of her, her child could STILL be alive. Hermione had to believe that.  
  
She dumped herself into the water. It was like a thousand knives sticking her at once. The cold nearly paralyzed her but she managed to frog through the water though it stung her muscles to do so.  
  
The dome of snakes that started the pile up was breaking apart and little air bubbles were coming out from under them. Hermione ripped them apart easily and there lye Draco and her child. He was clutching her as if he had come back to life. In his arms, lay their daughter with her eyes closed but air bubbles were being exhaled from her blue lips, unlike Draco whose mouth was opened wide as if he'd drown.  
  
Hermione opened her mouth to see how her baby was breathing but only terrible tasting water filled her mouth and her lungs began to burn. It was part of the magical spell Narcissa put on the water so Lucius could live off their blood but he hadn't gotten all of the baby's blood yet.  
  
She had to practically wrench the child from her dead husband's arms and as soon as she did the baby began to lose air as quick as Hermione was. She pushed off from the side of the cocoon type thing and surfaced.  
  
The air never tasted so good. The baby's sputtering cries were loud but were nothing compared to the wailing howls of Lucius. His body from the waste up began crumbling from having nothing to feed on. "KILL HER!" He commanded to Narcissa who was pulling out of his now stone hand. She was coughing and choking but pulling her wand out of her robes with a free hand at the same time.  
  
Hermione turned and sprinted towards the doors made of trees. She could see someone standing outside in the ballroom but the sun was so bright after being in such a dark room yet she could only keep running. Her breathing was louder then any of the screams and yells from everyone in the manor. She was concentrating only on getting out.  
  
Her first barefoot touched the slippery marble floor, then the next barefoot made its stake out of that evil room and Hermione thought she was nearly home free but something cold touched her heart and she knew exactly what was swallowing her down into the dark.  
  
She pushed the baby out her arms and fell face first onto the ground. The green light wrapped around Hermione like a death shroud.  
  
**  
  
Some Years Later.  
  
"Hermione, you left your books all over the floor," Ron scolded from the living room. He began picking up them up and stacking them on the couch.  
  
"What dad?" she asked, bouncing into the room with his old pointed hat on. Her curly blond hair stuck out like a big frizzy mop from all sides. Ron still hadn't learned how to tame it. She was also wearing Ron's old Gryffindor robes that were much too big on her.  
  
"You have to clean up your mess after you get done with things."  
  
"I was going to get more. I was looking up my family's history," she looked up at him with watery brown eyes.  
  
Ron smiled and patted her on the head. "Muggles? What would you want to learn about them for?"  
  
"I want to learn everything! I want to be the smartest girl in the world," she exclaimed, dancing around the room and on the couch.  
  
Ron stood there with a vacant look on his face. Usually he would have told her to stop jumping. "What is it dad?" Hermione asked, tugging on his robes. He looked down at her and his eyes filled up with large tears. Ron knelt down and put Hermione in a hug so tight she had to cough but she managed to hug him back.  
  
"I'm just so grateful to have such a wonderful daughter. You're just like your mother."  
  
"Tell me what happened to her?"  
  
He laughed and wiped his tears away. "That's a LONG story, not for little girl's ears just yet."  
  
Hermione didn't really understand this but she knew it was useless to argue with her father. "She saved me though huh?"  
  
"Yes, that she did."  
  
"What happened to the evil woman?"  
  
"She was insane. She threw herself in the water after Lucius and drown shortly after," Ron said with malice in his voice.  
  
"Lucius?" Hermione was drinking everything in.  
  
"Your real father's dad," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.  
  
"Was my real father as good as you?"  
  
Ron looked taken aback and only hugged her again then stood up. "Sure he was. C'mon, let's go upstairs and get you ready for bed."  
  
She scowled at him. "Do I have to?"  
  
"What kind of question is that? March little lady."  
  
After he tucked her in and read from 'A Little Witch with Big Tales' until she was asleep, Ron couldn't help but stare at her with a tight knot in his stomach from loving her so much.  
  
And somewhere in the night.far away where a mass of huge stones lay in a crumbling pile and black colored willow trees have nearly grown over it all, lay a huge slab of stone still sticking out of the ground and underneath the etched name of Draco Malfoy was a line that connect him to newly engraved and still glowing name of Hermione Malfoy. And so, it never really ends.  
  
**  
  
*sighs* Well that's the end.yes it's over.This was my first FF and I've learned A LOT from writing this.a lot from reviews especially. Everyone has been pretty gentle ^-^ thanks guys! I told you all this chapter would be a long fat doozy and I'm pretty satisfied with then entire story.except for the beginning which was just me kinda experimenting.I really didn't expect to finish this but everyone was so supportive so I couldn't help but finish. Well, I had a lot of fun with this anyone and I'm starting a new one tomorrow that's a Hermione/Lucius FF.I don't see any of that pairing so I'm giving it a shot. I hope you all remember moi! THANKS JK FOR YOUR WONDERFUL CHARS!! I would still love some reviews on what you think of the ending. Ja!  
  
RatWitch 08/01/03 - 09/14/03 


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